Human Trafficking in [Burundi] [other countries]Street Children in [Burundi Child Prostitution in [Burundi] [other countries] |
Prevalence, Abuse & Exploitation of Street Children
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CAUTION: The following links and accompanying text have been culled
from the web to illuminate the situation in ***
FEATURED ARTICLES *** BURUNDI: Sex and
drugs leave Bujumbura's homeless at risk of HIV Sexual violence is also prevalent,
as people living on the streets of Bujumbura are vulnerable to sexual attacks
and often have nowhere to turn.
Newcomers to the streets usually seek protection from older, more
experienced boys, which often entails entering into a sexual relationship
with one's protector. Olivier Ndimubandi, 12, told IRIN/PlusNews
about his humiliating rape by his protector, in the presence of other boys on
the street. The attack left him injured, but he said he did not trust the
non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that have
offered him support, and had received no medical care. A spate of violent rapes in the capital in
2005 was blamed on street dwellers, prompting the government to round up all
street children and house them in a local rehabilitation centre, but a few months
later they were back on the streets. Travel Warnings And Warden Messages www.usembassy.gov/burundi-pub/burundi/WM_street_safety.html On August 6, 2004, an American citizen was harassed by a group of street children. While exiting a vehicle, a group of street children attempted to enter the American citizen’s vehicle. The American citizen reported that the children pounded on the vehicle and were able to open a passenger-side door. The American citizen escaped without injury. All U.S. Government personnel and American citizens are advised to exercise caution while traveling on foot on either side of Boulevard de l'UPRONA, from the intersection of Avenue du Congo to the intersection of Chaussee du Peuple Murundi, and in the vicinity of Place de l'Independence. ***
ARCHIVES *** UNICEF - The Big Picture Bur of Democracy,
Human Rights & Labor - Country Reports
on Human Rights Practices - 2005 CHILDREN - According to a survey carried
out in the beginning of the year and the director of Maison
Shalom, at least 230 thousand children were HIV/AIDS orphans (had lost one or
both parents to HIV/AIDS). The ongoing conflict and increasing prevalence of
HIV/AIDS has increased the number of orphans, which has resulted in an
increase in the number of street children. The total number of orphans in the
country, including children who were orphaned by causes other than HIV/AIDS,
was more than 970 thousand, according to the survey cited by UNICEF.
According to the Ministry for National Solidarity, Human Rights, and Gender,
there were approximately five thousand street children in the country by
year's end. During the year there were reports that police periodically
rounded up hundreds of street children and took them to a shelter in the Concluding
Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) - 2000 [69] The Committee is concerned at
the situation of children living and working on the streets and children
living on their own and without proper housing in the hills. The Committee is
concerned, inter alia, about the poor access of such children to health,
education and other services, about reports that the number of children
living or working on the streets is continuing to increase, and about the
particular vulnerability of girls in these situations. BURUNDI: FNL rebels 'still recruiting children' Burundi's last active armed
opposition group, the Forces nationales de libération (FNL), has continued
to recruit children into its ranks despite recent moves to end rebellion, a
senior official said. BURUNDI: Sex and
drugs leave Bujumbura's homeless at risk of HIV Sexual violence is also prevalent,
as people living on the streets of Bujumbura are vulnerable to sexual attacks
and often have nowhere to turn.
Newcomers to the streets usually seek protection from older, more
experienced boys, which often entails entering into a sexual relationship
with one's protector. Olivier Ndimubandi, 12, told IRIN/PlusNews
about his humiliating rape by his protector, in the presence of other boys on
the street. The attack left him injured, but he said he did not trust the
non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that have
offered him support, and had received no medical care. A spate of violent rapes in the capital in
2005 was blamed on street dwellers, prompting the government to round up all
street children and house them in a local rehabilitation centre, but a few
months later they were back on the streets. Drumming up
pride among post-war Burundi’s street children The war in Burundi left behind
823,000 orphans, at least 20,000 of whom are currently living on the streets.
The Stamm Foundation, a national non-governmental
organization supported by UNICEF, provides some of these children – including
former child soldiers – with a home, education and life skills, while
promoting Burundi’s proud cultural heritage. Yves
Habonimana, 25: "My legs were sore, my whole body swollen" "When my mother died, I was
six. I had no one else to take care of me. My father was still alive then,
but he just didn't care. I decided to leave home. I followed other children
on the streets. We would scavenge or beg for food and sleep on cartons at the
independence square or in the stadium. "Some days we have nothing to
eat. Children are then forced to steal to avoid starvation. Just to forget
the misery temporarily, I used to take drugs, alcohol or whatever stuff that
would intoxicate me and make me sleep. I have now given that up. Information
About Street Children - Burundi [DOC] Action
taken by the Government of ·
Established two vocational training centers for street children ·
Developed a National Plan of Action for the training and reinsertion
of street children ·
Established an inter-ministerial committee specially responsible for
facilitating the reinsertion / reunification of street children Past
Programs: Econ. Dev. BURUNDI - Five years of civil war and two
years of economic sanctions have resulted in extreme living conditions, low
food supplies, economic recession, unemployment, an increase in infant
mortality rates, and a decrease in school attendance. New
Call For Free Child Education 38 % of Burundian children attend
schools, according to UNICEF. Many
parents cannot afford to pay the fees at public school, plus uniforms, books
and equipment. A survey carried out in
2003 reported that 640,000 children in Burundi - Africa Children's Day 16 June Focus on Street Children Ndikumana said such organizations failed to
provide the requisite care because they did not bother to tackle the root
causes of the street-child phenomenon.
As a possible corrective measure, he said, these organizations should
encourage income-generating activities in rural areas. Travel Warnings And Warden Messages www.usembassy.gov/burundi-pub/burundi/WM_street_safety.html On August 6, 2004, an American citizen was harassed by a group of street children. While exiting a vehicle, a group of street children attempted to enter the American citizen’s vehicle. The American citizen reported that the children pounded on the vehicle and were able to open a passenger-side door. The American citizen escaped without injury. All U.S. Government personnel and American citizens are advised to exercise caution while traveling on foot on either side of Boulevard de l'UPRONA, from the intersection of Avenue du Congo to the intersection of Chaussee du Peuple Murundi, and in the vicinity of Place de l'Independence. NGO Launches Center
for Vulnerable Children Amani House is a branch of Maison Shalom. It
houses orphans and street children who have been wandering in GETTING CHILDREN OFF THE STREETS - For hundreds of thousands of
children, safe houses such as those provided by Maison
Shalom remain a far-off dream. For
many, their only home is the streets of Watchlist Country Report on Burundi STREET AND UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN - Orphaned and separated children are exposed to a range of abuses and rights violations, including police violence, arbitrary arrest, and general insecurity. They often live in abysmal conditions, sleeping outdoors, begging on the streets, and suffering from malnutrition and violence. Some unaccompanied and separated children may be victims of abuse and exploitation at the hands of their foster families, even extended family members. Those living in orphanages frequently face even more severe problems. Enrolling
Street Children In School - Burundi 1500 street children around the
country were enrolled in primary schools, thanks to the UNESCO program
“Education for Street Children”. UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - Burundi 26 July - 1 August 2004 3 NGO REHABILITATES 40+ STREET CHILDREN - National NGO Oeuvre pour la protection et le developpement des enfants en difficulte (OPDE) announced it had rehabilitated more than 40 over-school-aged street children through a one-year training in handicrafts. School-aged children were enrolled in the formal education system. Generally, children are consumers and not producers. This is no more the case in Burundi. The majority of children – and especially orphans – have given up schools and found jobs to survive. Some are householders; others carry more luggage than they weigh themselves. What they get in return is not enough to cover their needs. The consequence is the increasing rate of child mortality, with children doomed to malnutrition, lack of health care, and shelter. Abandoned Children [PDF] [Page 5 Burundi] STREET CHILDREN: A BIG CHALLENGE TO THE CHURCH - After a deep analysis, it was discovered that not only were many of the children already under the charge of other children’s associations, but also a few of them came from their own home for the ‘free breakfast’ All material used herein
reproduced under the fair use exception of 17 USC §
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Human Trafficking in [Burundi] [other countries]Street Children in [Burundi Child Prostitution in [Burundi] [other countries]