7) Institutionalisation within the Ministry of Justice, chambers and sections for juveniles in conflict
with the law and victims of sexual violence at the Courts of Instance, the Prosecutor's Office of the
Courts of Appeal;
8) Improving the conditions of detention of children through the establishment of two re-education
centres for minors in conflict with the law.4
9) The existence of a child judicial protection unit in the Ministry of Justice since 2011;
(10) The specialised police unit responsible for the protection of minors that deals with the different
categories of children exposed to danger;
11) The establishment of the National Children's Forum which allows them to be consulted in all
the decisions that concern them;
12) The creation of an integrated pilot centre for comprehensive care (psychological, social,
material, legal, medical and community) of victims of gender-based sexual violence called
HUMURA CENTRE, operational since July 2012 and located in centre of the country. Three more
Integrated Centres are already operational in MUYINGA, MAKAMBA and CIBITOKE district
hospitals
13) The establishment of child protection committees (CPE) at provincial, communal and hill
level.5
12. Burundi has also adopted policies and programs aimed at improving the well-being of children.
These include:
1) The National Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children (OVC) Policy adopted in September 2008;
2) The National Strategy for Socio-Economic Reintegration of Conflict-Affected People adopted in
2009. This strategy targets three groups consisting of returnees, internally displaced persons and excombatants;6
3) The 2010-2015 Action Plan to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labour, including the
commercial sexual exploitation of children developed by the MFPTSS;
4) The 2011-2015 Ministry of Justice and the 2016-2020 Sectoral Policy that contain amendments
aimed at filling the gaps found in the juvenile criminal justice system in order to be in harmony with
the African Charter on Human Right and the well-being of the child;
5) The National Child Protection Policy (2012-2016) taking into account the principles and
provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and
Welfare of the Child. This policy is articulated around strategic orientations, identified from the
challenges revealed by the evaluation and mapping of the child protection system in Burundi. These
4
Ministerial Order No. 550/663 of 17 April 2015 establishing the Rehabilitation Centres for minors in conflict with the
law (Rumonge and Ruyigi)
5
Refers to the smallest subdivision of the territory in Burundi
6
Strategic Framework for Growth and Poverty Reduction CSLPII, page 48, paragraph 176
9