About the Programme
Information and Education Outreach Programme
The Outreach Programme on the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and the United Nations is an information and educational outreach programme run by the UN Department of Global Communications.
The programme was established by the General Assembly on 23 December 2005 (A/RES/60/225) to "mobilize civil society for Rwanda genocide victim remembrance and education in order to help prevent future acts of genocide."
On 20 April 2020, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to modify the title of the outreach programme to "outreach programme on the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and the United Nations" and to take measures to mobilize civil society for remembrance and education in the context of the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, in order to help prevent future acts of genocide (A/RES/74/273).
By providing information materials which educate on the lessons of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, the outreach programme focuses on two main themes:
- Preventing genocide:
learning the lessons of the genocide in order to help prevent similar acts in the future.
- Supporting survivors:
raising awareness of the lasting impact of the genocide on survivors, particularly widows, orphans and victims of sexual violence, and the challenges that they still face today.
Around the World
The UN is implementing the programme in Africa and other regions of the world. It includes events such as roundtable discussions, film screenings, exhibitions and debates.
The programme also provides print and audio-visual materials to partners wishing to undertake events in support of the objectives of the programme.
Background information is available on the following topics:
- Justice and reconciliation process in Rwanda;
- preventing genocide;
- the responsibility to protect; and on
- sexual violence used as a tool of war.