IMPACT OF LOCAL SOLUTIONS ON NATIONAL RESILIENCE POST-GENOCIDE AGAINST TUTSI IN RWANDA: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF GACACA AND IMIHIGO IN EASTERN PROVINCE

dc.abstract.en	Background: Rwanda was thrown into a severe humanitarian crisis after the genocide against the Tutsis in 1994. In response to the humanitarian crises, the government established local home-grown solutions to help rebuild national resilience. Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the economic and social impact of Imihigo and the psychosocial impact of gacaca courts in the post-genocide period in the eastern province of Rwanda. Methodology: A qualitative transcendental phenomenological approach was adopted using KIIs and FGDs to collect information on the felt impact of the local solutions as employed. The collected data were transcribed and analyzed inductively using NVivo version 15. The results were presented thematically with illustrative narratives. Results: The study reveals that Gacaca courts significantly contributed to psychosocial healing and community reconciliation, despite legal limitations and occasional retraumatization challenges. Similarly, Imihigo enhanced local governance, economic participation, and social accountability, fostering a sense of ownership and performance among local leaders and citizens. However, there were some challenges during implementation such as corruption, inadequate funding and delay in providing funds. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that locally grounded solutions like Gacaca and Imihigo can transform national recovery and resilience. These findings are critical for humanitarian actors, policymakers, and development practitioners seeking sustainable, context-sensitive approaches in post-conflict settings. However, implementing such solutions presents some challenges. Therefore, it is recommended that government and humanitarian actors support the implementation of local solutions by providing funds and fighting corruption.
dc.affiliation	Uniwersytet Warszawski
dc.affiliation.department	Wydział Prawa i Administracji
dc.contributor.author	Ishimwe, Benjamin
dc.contributor.promoter	Lizak, Wiesław
dc.contributor.reviewer	Lizak, Wiesław
dc.contributor.reviewer	Starzyk-Sulejewska, Joanna
dc.date.defence	2025-09-30
dc.date.issued	2025
dc.date.submitted	2025-06-13
dc.identifier.apd	242780
dc.language	en
dc.language.other	pl
dc.publisher	Uniwersytet Warszawski
dc.rights	ClosedAccess
dc.subject.en	Rwanda
dc.subject.en	Genocide
dc.subject.en	Resilience,
dc.subject.en	Psychosocial
dc.subject.en	Social Change
dc.subject.en	Local solutions
dc.title	IMPACT OF LOCAL SOLUTIONS ON NATIONAL RESILIENCE POST-GENOCIDE AGAINST TUTSI IN RWANDA: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF GACACA AND IMIHIGO IN EASTERN PROVINCE
dc.type	MasterThesis