Emma Marie Bugingo

ORGANISATION: Pro-Femmes/ Twese Hamwe  

Ms. Emma Marie Bugingo (Rwandan- Female) brings over 19 years of working with Civil Society Organizations.  After joining Pro-Femmes/ Twese Hamwe in 2006, she occupied a series of progressively responsible positions within the organization – first as Executive Secretary of Pro-Femmes/ Twese Hamwe in the Western Province, then as a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer in the Gender, Advocacy and Human Rights Department, and to the Executive Director post at the national level.  Between 2001 and 2006, Emma-Marie worked at the Rwandan Women Association for Solidarity (ASOFERWA) as a Project Coordinator.  She received her B.A. in Journalism and Communication from the National University of Rwanda in 2000 and is fluent in English, Kiswahili and Kinyarwanda with working proficiency in French.

Emma Marie has firmly contributed to the design and implementation of all programs of the umbrella which include: Advocacy for women’s rights issues; Women’s empowerment and gender equality promotion; Peace building; Fighting Gender Based Violence; Research and documentation; Partnerships building; Institutional and organizational development.

 She has and still coordinating Pro-Femmes/ Twes Hamwe initiative towards the on-going construction work of the Centre of Excellence for Women Leadership. The center aims at ensuring sustainability of Pro-Femmes programs, generating resources and serve as a learning center for the country, the region and beyond.  She has also contributed to the sector policies elaborations; and all other actions geared towards gender approach within the framework of achieving umbrellas mission and advocated for the implementation of national, regional and international instruments for gender equality promotion in Rwanda and in the region including the UNSCR 1325, Kampala Declaration 2011, The Framework for DRC and the Region, among others.

Pro-Femmes is the largest national civil society umbrella organization in Rwanda working for women’s promotion, peace and development.  Established in October 1992 by women organizations, currently represents 53 member organizations across the country providing the largest forum and voice of advocacy for issues affecting women. .

Emma Marie has competences and skills in different domains including but not limited to: Strategic Planning, Coordination, Human Resource Management, Leadership, Gender, Policy Analysis, Gender Responsive Budgeting, Public Relations, Conflict Management, Monitoring & Evaluation and Advocacy.

 She has participated and made presentations in different meetings/ conferences at national, regional and International fora, including:

• Experience on Women Leadership: Case study: Rwanda: 14^TH Gender Festival:  Tanzania, September 2019
• ICGLR Regional Civil Society Forum: Implementation of the Pact: Contribution of Rwanda CSOs: Tanzania, July 2017
• 1^st East African Sub-Regional Colloquium on the SDGs: Combating violence against women: Moving from Rhetoric to action : Kampala, Uganda October 2016:
• International Expert Conference: “Women Powerful Agents for Peace and Security”: Sharing Rwanda’s experience on Women’s meaningful participation in Peace building and Political Processes” and the role Pro-Femmes in the implementation of UNSCR 1325: Amsterdam: February, 2015

Emma Marie has and still occupies different positions at national and regional levels, they include:

• Civil society Advisory Group member to UN- WOMEN East and Southern Africa Regional: July 2018 to date
• A board member to the Eastern African Sub-Regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI): 2016 to date
• A Commissioner: National Unity and Reconciliation Commission: 2016 to date
• Chairperson of the National Independent Review Panel: December 2013 to date
• Civil society Advisory Group to UN- WOMEN- Rwanda: 2012 to date
• Member of the National Independent Review Panel: December 2010 –Nov. 2013
• Member of the Interim Advisory Council – National University of Rwanda’s Radio (appointed by the Rwandan National Commission for UNESCO (2004 – 2006)