Association des Veuves du Genocide (AVEGA Agahozo) or the Association of Widows of Genocide is a
Rwandan association formed to help
widows,
orphans and others who lost family members in the 1994
Rwandan genocide. AVEGA was founded in October 1995 by 50 women who had survived the killings but lost their husbands. One of the organization's founders[1] has stated that she believes that "too much is expected of the victims" who, in her view, need first to be reconciled with themselves and their losses. Restitution and reparations are essential prerequisites before any consideration of reconciliation with the perpetrators.
The organisation aims to do the following:
To protect and promote the widows of the genocide, who have been severely tested by the atrocities they have suffered
To undertake activities aiming to improve the living conditions of the widows and their children
To promote solidarity between the members of the association
To promote the
education of the orphans of the genocide
To defend the rights of the widows, be they
social,
economic,
political or of any other kind
To perpetuate the memory of the victims of the genocide and to fight for justice to be done[2]
To take an active part in the process of national reconciliation and the rebuilding of the country
To collaborate with national and international associations that share the same objectives.