The Batwa in Rwanda were traditionally forest dwellers and hunters-gatherers living in the western part of the country. Today, the estimated 30,000 Batwa people are dispersed all over the country, often living in conditions of great hardship and poverty on the margins of mainstream society.

This discrimination is largely the result of losing their land and forests to farmers and herders, along with their livelihoods and culture. Today, only some of them have small land plots while others live as squatters or tenants.

Although their health and education situation has improved, the Batwa lag far behind their compatriots. Batwa women are the victims of sexual abuse and violence committed by outsiders, while Batwa children are vulnerable to different forms of exploitation.

The UN system has repeatedly expressed concern for the situation faced by the Batwa, with many organisations struggling to access or identify them. The government of Rwanda has emphasized its efforts towards including the Batwa in social protection programmes. However, a lack of disaggregated data makes it difficult to assess the effect of these efforts.