section b
Livelihoods and economic social recovery project in Burundi. Micheline Bazima, a mother of 7 working on the Buruhukiro Road rehabilitation project in Nyagasaka village, Burundi. ŠUNDP Burundi
B.3 Reforms to strengthen the rule of law and access to justice in post-conflict and recovery situations B.3.1 Case study Burundi: navigating a complex political context to promote human rights Context: Burundi is emerging from painful and decades long ethnic conflict between the majority Hutu and minority Tutsi during which approximately 850,000 Burundians were displaced. During the conflict, human rights and the rule of law were severely compromised with repeated violence against women and children, including sexual violence, and indiscriminate attacks on civilians by state agents and rebel groups. In addition, as refugees fled, their land was occupied by opportunistic settlers. Furthermore, the justice system was left severely malfunctioning and marked by rampant corruption, poor conditions and congestion in prisons. Following the comprehensive Arusha Peace Accord, relative peace and calm returned to the country. The country held presidential and parliamentary elections at the end of 2010 and while dubbed a historic milestone for the country, these elections were severely contested by the opposition parties and the country remains in an uneasy calm. Simmering beneath the surface are tensions regarding power sharing and resource allocation. While there are no obvious indications of the recurrence of civil war, the situation is far from settled.
22 Rule of Law and Access to Justice in Eastern and Southern Africa: Showcasing Innovations and Good Practices