Women (Burundi)

“For the first time ever, we sit together, women politicians and activists, and talk about what we can do together. It is big and so important.”
Chou Chou Namegabe, Association des Femmes des Médias

L’un des résultats positifs des processus de paix et des transitions politiques dans la région des Grands Lacs en Afrique ces dix à quinze dernières années, a été la représentation et la participation accrues des femmes dans l’arène politique et dans la sphère publique. Cette avancée majeure pour les femmes a été obtenue essentiellement par l’adoption de systèmes de quotas et par la cooptation.

Full report

At the start of an important conference on the future of Burundi, an elected delegation of Burundian women’s rights activists put forth concrete policy recommendations on development, gender equality, economic empowerment and peacebuilding priorities for their country.

OUR VOICES – ENGLISH

NOS VOIX, LES ACTIONS – FRANÇAIS

To read more about "Our Voices / Nos Voix, Les Actions", click here.

Ce rapport examine la participation des femmes dans le processus de paix d’Arusha pour le Burundi, en particulier la manière dont les femmes Burundaises sont parvenues, malgré leur faible représentation à la table des négociations, à faire inclure un certain nombre de dispositions favorables aux droits des femmes et au  principe de l’égalité des sexes dans le texte de l’Accord de paix signé en 2000.

A la conquête de la parole : La participation des femmes dans la transition démocratique au Burundi

The Great Lakes region has in the last ten to fifteen years seen an increase in women’s representation and involvement in politics and the public sphere, a positive outcome of the region’s peace processes and political transitions.

FRANÇAIS

International Alert is proud to present a new documentary film from our programme in Burundi, in the Great Lakes region of Africa.

Our Voices presents the views of Burundian women about what is needed to foster peace and development in the country.

Burundi emerged from more than a decade of civil war in 2005. During the conflict, over 300,000 people lost their lives and more than 1 million Burundians were forced to flee their homes.

Location

This project supporting women peacebuilders follows on from a programme in which Alert supported a number of women’s groups in implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1325. The resolution mandates greater protection of women in conflict situations, particularly through the greater participation of women in peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding.

International Alert recently attended the 54th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women which undertook a 15-year review and appraisal of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA).

In partnership with the Eastern Africa Sub-Regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI), Alert organised a panel discussion to present the preliminary results of a joint research project on the nature and impact of women’s political participation currently being carried out in the Great Lakes Region of Africa.

Civil society and government representatives from Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Burundi recently gathered in Freetown for training on developing gender-sensitive indicators for the consolidation of peacebuilding programmes. Participants also attended a roundtable discussion on the development of National Action Plans (NAPs) for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

International Alert Burundi recently carried out a study on women’s perceptions of security as part of its programme aimed at supporting local women’s organisations for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security.