BUJUMBURA November 9th (ABP) – The Prime Minister of the Republic of Burundi, Mr. Alain Guillaume Bunyoni, proceeded Monday, November 8, 2021 to the opening of the three-day session of impregnation of the new members of the African committee of experts on the rights and well-being of the child and launching the group work of the said committee with the aim of familiarizing them with their mandate, roles and responsibilities.
The Prime Minister commended in his speech for the occasion the important work carried out by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child with regard to the promotion and protection of the rights of the children of our continent. He indicated that the government of Burundi recognizes in terms of promotion and protection of rights, the important place reserved for the child and consequently has taken measures that ensure their protection and well-being.
Its commitment is reflected, among other things, through the unreserved ratification of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child on June 28, 2004 and through the provisions contained in the country’s fundamental law on the protection of children’s rights. man in general and those of children in particular. To give concrete expression to the principles contained in these two aforementioned documents, the Prime Minister said, Burundi has set up structures that participate in the formulation of policies and actions for the development of the child in its various segments of life, particularly at the level of legal protection, health, education and security.
At the institutional level, Mr. Bunyoni pointed out that a framework favorable to respect for the rights of the child has been strengthened in particular by the creation since 2011 of the Department of Children and the Family within the Ministry of National Solidarity , Social Affairs, Human Rights and Gender, the existence of a legal protection unit for the child, the establishment of two rehabilitation centers for minors in conflict with the law, the unit specialized police for the protection of minors as well as the establishment of the national children’s forum in Burundi as a framework for children’s participation and which allows them to be consulted in all decisions that concern them.
Regarding the implementation of policies and practices to promote the rights and well-being of the child, he said that significant progress has been made in education, health and birth registration. He added that the government adopted in April 2020 the national child protection policy 2020-2024. It is a policy that takes into account the progress made, the recommendations made during the assessment as well as the new challenges in child protection.
Regarding the activities of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, the Prime Minister reassured that the government will spare no effort to ensure that the commitments made are honored in the implementation of the African Charter on rights and well-being ratified by our country without reservation and making our 2040 agenda for children in Africa.
The Minister in charge of Human Rights, Mrs. Imelde Sabushimike, pointed out that this is the first time in the history of Burundi that the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the child meets in Burundi. It is an honor for the country. She also affirmed that the government of Burundi through the ministry for which she is responsible has established programs and projects aimed at promoting community development and the well-being of all children. She added that the missions of the Child and Family Department give an important place to the protection of the rights of the child in all sectors of life where the protection of the child is one of the “responsible” and “hard-working” government priorities.
The ACERWC chairman, Mr. Joseph Ndayisenga, said that the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child is made up of 11 experts from five regions of the Member States of the African Union and are appointed by the summits of Heads of State. He added that each region is represented by two members including a man and a woman except the region of West Africa which has three members.