Dr. Evode Niyibizi, MD

Evode passionate and dedicated young leader in health and development holding a bachelor's degree in general medicine and surgery from the University of Rwanda.

With 6+ of experience, Evode has been instrumental in shaping national policies and strategies, and regional instruments. Currently serving as the Country Director for AfriYAN Rwanda and member of the Capacity Building Team for AfriYAN East and Southern Africa, plays a crucial role in advocating for the well-being of adolescents and youth.

Beyond national roles, Evode has a global impact, serving on the Global Youth Board for the Generation Gender Programme across seven countries. Representing the Eastern and Southern Africa Region on UNFPA's Global Youth Reference Group, contributes to international efforts in shaping policies that impact youth globally. Extensive involvement in the renewal of ICPD Commitments for Rwanda and East Africa underscores commitment to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights.

• Spearheaded strategies to grow AfriYAN Rwanda into a legally registered and fully functional national youth network/umbrella of 18 youth-led organizations.
• Led AfriYAN Rwanda to increase its annual budget of 2020 by 3000% in 2023.
• Established AfriYAN Rwanda Youth Empowerment Hub; the headquarters of AfriYAN Rwanda with free available working spaces for youth-led organizations members with limited resources.
• Established a modern AfriYAN Rwanda Youth SRH Studio for audiovisual content creation and production of adolescents and youth friendly SRH information by youth-led organizations under AfriYAN Rwanda.
• Led the capacity building for AfriYAN Zambia, AfriYAN Angola, AfriYAN Mozambique.
• Conducted the mentorship sessions to Regional AfriYAN West and Central Africa on Youth Participation in the implementation, monitoring and review of the ICPD Agenda and ADPD Agenda for Africa at national level.
• Contributed in developing of the 8th Country Programme of UNFPA for Rwanda.
• Contributed in developing the national Men Engage Strategy by the Ministry of Gender and Family promotion of the Republic of Rwanda.
• Contributed to developing global toolkits on Meaningful and Inclusive Youth Participation under the Generation Gender Global Programme.
• Led capacity-building on Meaningful and Inclusive Youth Participation for Ugandan and Rwandan Coalitions of the Generation Gender global programme.
• Assisted youth-led organizations in legal registration, leadership structures, strategic planning, and developing operational policies.
• Volunteered as a Medical officer, at the National Joint Taskforce on prevention and control of COVID-19 in Rwanda in its various departments, including case management, surveillance, testing, vaccination, and home-based care and case treatment.
• Led the 2019 National Youth Travelling Caravan 10 districts of Rwanda to engage youth in the development and renew of the national ICPD25 Commitments.
• Organized and Co-chaired the National Annual ICPD Agenda Follow up Action high-level stakeholders meetings 2022 and 2023.
• Represented Adolescents and Youth of the Eastern and Southern Africa as a panelist at the high-level political dialogue to address social, political and structural barriers in HIV prevention and equitable access to health services for men, key populations, sexual and gender minorities and adolescent girls and young women in Eastern and Southern Africa.
• Took part of the organizing committee and local steering committee for ICASA 2019 serving as the Assistant Onsite Manager of the Conference.
• Co-founded and led the medical students association at the University of Gitwe and took part of different committees of Medical Students' Association of Rwanda (MEDSAR) at University of Rwanda.
• Mobilized 600 doses of Hepatitis B Vaccines for fellow medical students prior to their clinical rotations.
• Organized and Chaired a "3 Days Scientific Conference 2018 on Access to Contraceptives and Safe Abortion Care among Adolescents and Youth" at University of Gitwe bringing together 300 delegates from different universities and non academia.
• Organized monthly Mass Sport with Screening of Non-Communicable diseases among participants and arranged referrals of identified cases.
• Organized different community outreaches by medical students to assist Community Healthcare Workers in community education on family planning, prevention of malaria, malnutrition and HIV/AIDS.
• Created learning opportunities for fellow students, fostering exposure for personal and professional growth.

• Generation Gender Global Youth Board
• UNFPA Global Youth Reference Group
• AfriYAN ESA Regional Team
• Regional Steering Committee & Programme Team for the Safeguarding Young People (SYP) Programme in Eastern and Southern Africa
• Youth Power Hub for ICPD Agenda for Eastern and Southern Africa
• Rwanda Medical Association (RMA)

• Dancing Salsa
• Playing Basketball
• Watching NBA and BAL

• Renata Tallarico, UNFPA Deputy Country Representative in Rwanda, tallarico@unfpa.org
• Dr. Polyphile Ntihinyurwa, Lecturer of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at University of Rwanda, Medical Officer in the Prevention of Unsafe Abortion Unit, WHO HQ
• Dr. Joseph Nkurunziza, Executive Director at Never Again Rwanda & Chairperson of Rwanda Civil Society Platform, jryarasa@gmail.com
• Cody Ragonese, Senior Program Officer at Equimundo, c.ragonese@equimundo.org
• Olloriak Sawade, Programme Manager at Rutgers International, o.sawade@rutgers.nl
• Natacha Mugeni, Director of Digital Health at Ylabs Global, munatacha@gmail.com