Strategic Law Reform & Democratic Accountability

Policy Influencing & Advocacy

Shaping inclusive legislation, building civil society movements, and advancing human rights at every level of governance in Rwanda.

Advocacy Work

Our advocacy work includes empirical research, grassroots campaigning, strategic public interest litigation, and rights navigation among duty bearers and rights holders. We also build the capacity of civil society partners across Rwanda to advocate effectively for legislative reform.

HDI utilizes legal litigation as an instrument to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), having litigated precedent-setting cases before the Intermediate, High Court, Supreme Court, and the East African Court of Justice (EACJ):

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) & Surrogacy Regulation

Decriminalization & Human Rights Protections in Infanticide Law

Task-Shifting in Reproductive Health to Health Center Clinicians

Challenging Discriminatory Sub-Regional Norms on Diversity

Historic Advocacy Achievements

Removal of court order requirement for legal safe abortion under Penal Code
Inclusion of child defilement as an explicit statutory condition for safe abortion
National decriminalization of sex work and adult consensual same-sex relations