Burundi
HI is working in Burundi through the Making It Work - Gender and Disability project. This project aims at eliminating discrimination and violence against women and girls with disabilities, by supporting them in advocating for their rights.
Adelaide NYIGINA is the President of the Supervisory Board of Urumuri, the Burundi Association for the Promotion of the Rights of Women with Disabilities. | © P. Meinhardt / HI
Areas of intervention
Latest stories
More than 10,000 refugees in Burundi: HI assisting the most vulnerable
Following ongoing clashes in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, more than 10,000 people, mostly Congolese, have taken refuge in the south and southwest of Burundi since 24th January 2018. HI is preparing to launch an emergency response in aid of these refugees.
Preventing sexual violence against children
The Ubuntu Care1 project combats sexual violence against children, particularly children with disabilities, in Kenya, Burundi and Rwanda. Launched in November 2012, it has already provided care and treatment to 600 child victims of sexual violence. Regional coordinator Sofia Hedjam describes the programme and its achievements.
Burundi: “We are continuing to provide help to the most vulnerable individuals”
The decision last April by the sitting president to run for a third term created a climate of instability and violence in Burundi. Tensions remain high. Handicap International has made changes to its operations in order to provide support to people affected by the crisis. Catherine Gillet, the director of Handicap International in Burundi, tells us more.
a life
Background
Burundi is a country of ethnic tensions, political conflicts and widespread poverty. One of the poorest countries in the world, its unstable environment hinders development, making it difficult to improve living conditions.
Poverty in Burundi is endemic and exacerbated by decades of internal conflict. People with disabilities experience widespread exclusion, preventing them from participating fully in social and economic life. Access to education for disabled children is particularly limited, and employment opportunities are equally scarce. Gender equality is another area where Burundi has many obstacles to overcome, with women facing all kinds of discrimination. Access to education for girls is still difficult, and women's participation in the workforce remains low, often confined to informal domestic or agricultural tasks.
Making It Work is a project developed by HI that combines gender and disability issues. It aims to eliminate discrimination and violence against women and girls with disabilities by defending their rights. HI has been implementing the Making it Work project in Burundi since 2022, working alongside a partner organisation, the Association Burundaise pour la Promotion des Droits des Femmes Handicapées (ABPDFH).
