Burundi
Context
Burundi is a country located in the Great Lakes region of Africa and has faced various challenges related to its political and ethnic conflict. The country has a weak justice system, and the ongoing cyclical violence has limited the opportunities for civil society to operate. The conflict in Burundi is primarily political and ethnic, with a strongly authoritarian government further complicating the situation. Moreover, the country is still grappling with the long-term impacts of the 2015 political crisis, which left tens of thousands dead and displaced, and strained its relationships with regional and international partners.
2022 showed some positive developments for Burundi, especially in terms of its regional and international political relationships, where confidence in the current government has to some extent been re-established. For example, Burundi currently holds the presidency of both the East African Court of Justice, one of the organs of the East African Community (EAC), and the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). Diplomatic bilateral relations and cooperation have resumed, especially with the EU. Sanctions imposed on Burundi since 2015 have been lifted and it is promised that aid will be forthcoming. Borders with neighbouring countries have reopened, particularly with Rwanda. Meanwhile, however, inflation and unemployment figures are very high, and civic space remains repressed.
Regions
The Just Future Alliance and its local partners are active in 7 provinces: Bujumbura, Bujumbura Mairie, Bururi, Cibitoke, Makamba, Mwaro, Rumonge.
Activities in 2022
JF partners brought together women from the diaspora, women from political parties and women from CSOs, CBOs, social movements, and informal activist groups to exchange on a common peace agenda.
Successful lobby prompted the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Interior to engage with vulnerable constituencies to discuss better access to justice. JF partners are advocating for policy changes and the adoption of a national legal aid strategy as well as the passage of the Code of Civil Procedure by the Council of Ministers.
JF partners supported community and under-represented civil society groups to be included in local consultation bodies, convene stakeholders in solution-oriented community dialogues, and lead their own advocacy initiatives at national and local level.
OUTCOMES
- State security institutions collaborate with communities in conflict zones, consult with the most excluded constituencies, and develop a mechanism of accountability better service
- Primary stakeholders’ capacities are strengthened, and they take ownership of local and regional security governance mechanisms
- Needs and aspirations of communities are addressed by security governance actors, which adopt measures to include most excluded constituencies in the decision-making bodies of the security apparatus
- Create communication channels between key security actors and communities
- Strengthen capacities of communities and CSOs on lobbying & advocacy, monitoring, evaluation
- National and regional lobby & advocacy
- Technical support
- Training of security actors on human rights standards
- Supporting media for greater transparency and accountability
- Access to justice services for the most excluded constituencies improved
- Collaboration and coordination between statutory and customary justice actors strengthened
- Primary stakeholders equipped to advocate for the inclusion of most excluded constituencies
- Promote and strengthen the exchange between various justice actors
- Support local CSOs, community leaders and local authorities to promote the application of formal justice for conflict resolution
- Technical support to judicial institutions on reforms and policies to improve accountability
- Training justice actors (customary, statutory and religious) to comply with human rights standards
- Support creation of community accountability systems
- Strengthen capacities of communities and CSOs on lobbying & advocacy, monitoring, evaluation
- Supporting media for greater transparency and accountability
- Create relationships with international organizations for international advocacy
- Facilitate access of rural communities to courts and legal services (transport, mobile courts)
- Primary stakeholders equipped to advocate for the inclusion of most excluded constituencies
- Local, regional and national actors implement ratified national, regional and international commitments on inclusion
- Most excluded constituencies, local and national authorities access consultative spaces to facilitate and monitor inclusion
- Primary stakeholders are sensitized about rights of most excluded constituencies, processes of inclusion and involved in advocacy and influencing actions
- Sharing lessons learned for sustainability of achievements
- Strengthen capacity of youth and women’s associations
- Establish networks of young mediators to participate in political decision-making
- Support mentoring initiatives to bring young people and adults together
- Use media to engage in dialogue with young people