Staff

UR - Centre for Gender Studies

Senior Lecturer

Dr Celestin Hategekimana is an Expert in development studies with specialization on “gender and development”. His focus is on cooperatives from a gender perspective. The emphasis on cooperatives is put on business development and capacity building. His recent book entitled “Women’s empowerment in the post-1994 Rwanda. The case study of Mayaga region, Lambert Academic Publishing (Saarbrücken, Germany) also focuses on cooperatives.
Celestin holds a PhD in Development Studies from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port-Elizabeth, South Africa. After the graduation of his PhD in April 2011 - Dr Celestin Hategekimana was hired by Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (under special contract) and also started working as consultant in different consultancy organizations in the field of cooperatives.
Since 2012 up to 2014, he has been teaching at the University of Kibungo, 2014 – 2016 was appointed as the Head of the Department of Agribusiness, from 2017 – 2018, was appointed as Head of the Department of Business Studies and Economics in the same university. Research interest : “cooperatives and development in Rwanda”.
In research & dissertations, Dr Celestin Hategekimana led 14 students at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (South Africa) to finish their Masters degree in Development studies, led 18 students to finish their Masters degree at the Independent University of Kigali (ULK), and 3 at University of Rwanda (UR). He also helped 65 undergraduate students in three universities : UNIK, UNILAK and ULK to finish their undergraduate degrees. All the theses were selectively focusing on cooperatives management and development, and community development generally” both in South Africa and Rwanda.
Last but not least, Dr Celestin Hategekimana worked with different institutions and organizations such as : Action by Churches Together (ACT RWANDA), BARAKABAHO FOUNDATION, ACIST RWANDA, PSDAG/SORWAFFA, PEAR and PEACE PLAN RWANFDA - just to mention a few. Now, he is a Senior lecturer at the University of Rwanda (UR), in the Center for Gender Studies, teaching “ gender and development” related subjects and a senior researcher in the same field at UR.

Lecturer

She is holding a PhD in Interdisciplinary Gender Studies from Seoul National University/ South Korea, an MA degree in Development Studies from Kimmage Development Studies Centre in Ireland, and Advanced Diploma in Mental Health Nursing from Kigali Health Institute (University of Rwanda). She has a work experience of 15 years in trauma counseling and community development and 8 years of teaching at Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences. She is currently a lecturer at University of Rwanda/CASS/ Centre for Gender Studies.

Her current research activities are mainly focused on the effects of political gender quotas on the Patriarcal Society towards Gender Equality in Rwanda. She has published 6 papers in the following journals as the main author :
(1) Issues in Feminism, volume 15, No1 : pp.249-296- 2014- Korean Women’s Studies Institute ;
(2) Globethics (online publication) (2017)- Geneva.
(3)PIASS Publication Series No 2:pp.101-115- 2012 ;
(4) PIASS Publication Series No 6:pp.183-2013.
(5) PIASS Publication Series No 12:pp.299-330- 2018- Rwanda.
(6)PIASS PIASS Publication Series- 2016 .

In her professional career, she has participated to international scientific conferences where she made oral presentations in South Korea 2013, 2014, 2015 and at GENEVA in 2018. She got an Award of BEST ESSAY on African Development in South Korea in 2013.

PhD degree in Gender and Religion

Rev. Dr. Innocent Iyakaremye has a PhD degree in Gender and Religion from University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), South Africa. He has also Master’s degree and Bachelor degree with honours in Theology and Development from UKZN. He has a Bachelor degree (Licence) in School Psychology from National University of Rwanda (NUR) and a Bachelor degree (Licence) in Demography from Kigali Independent University (ULK). He followed a number of very important trainings, including training in PhD research supervision, Gender and Economic Policy Management Initiative, Research Methodology in Social Sciences, Research on Gender in Education, Clinical Pastoral Education (Christian Counselling), and other trainings related to human rights, reconciliation, and project management.

Iyakaremye is currently Acting Dean of the School of Governance and Senior Lecturer at Centre for Gender Studies, College of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Rwanda (UR). Prior to this position, he was Deputy Dean of the school of governance (UR), Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of Oral History research Project at Sinomlando Centre, UKZN, Researcher at National Commission for Human Rights, Rwanda, Monitoring and Evaluation Technical Advisor at International Rescue Committee, Rwanda, and Training and Research Officer at National University of Ireland (University College Cork)/Child Studies Unit.

In May 2016, Iyakaremye was appointed by Rwandan Cabinet as member of Consultative Committee of Gender Monitoring Office (GMO), Rwanda, where he is still serving. Since May 2013, he is the appointed Chair of Council of Kibogora Polytechnic, a private university in Western Province, Rwanda. He is member of Research and Postgraduate Studies Committee as well as Quality assurance committee of the College of Arts and Social Sciences, UR.

Iyakaremye has published four articles in peer reviewed journals and one book chapter, has co-authored two books and contributed to many government’s and other institutions’ policy and planning documents. He was recently reviewer of three scientific journals :
(1) Health Psychology Report, Gdansk University, Poland,
(2) Journal of Gender and Religion in Africa, UKZN, South Africa, and (3) INES Scientific Journal (ISJ), Rwanda.
He is external examiner of PhD and Master’s research of Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania. He is currently supervisor of two PhD research, two masters research, and one academic staff/researcher from University of Reading, United Kingdom, under the partnership with University of Rwanda. He presented research papers in many international conferences, the most recent being organised by International Journal of Arts and Sciences’ (IJAS) on 3-6 December, 2018 at Freiburg, Germany.

Assistant Lecturer

Jane Umutoni holds a Masters of Social Sciences in Gender and Development Studies and Bachelor of Business Studies. Presently she is a full-time Academic and Research staff at the University of Rwanda, College of Arts and Social Sciences under the Centre for Gender Studies. Her research interests include gender related research as well as research focusing on transitional justice, reconciliation and peacebuilding in post-conflict contexts.

Gender Program Officer

Mr Nkurunziza Didier is a holder of a Bachelor’s Degree in Economic Sciences and Management.
He is a permanent staff at the Center for Gender Studies/University of Rwanda-CASS.
He is currently appointed as Gender Program Officer.
He is among bestowed global credential Certified Associate Project Manager (CAPM) ® by PMI