Workshop on Fighting Gender-Based Violence

Restoration Burundi (Restobu) has organized a workshop on combating gender-based violence (GBV) in Kirundo province, specifically targeting the communes of Busoni and Bugabira. Since 2021, Restobu has established peace clubs in several schools within these two communes to support the reintegration of returning students and finally create a peaceful environment in the area through the creation of peace clubs in schools. Both communes border Rwanda and this province is having a high number of school dropouts. Gender based violence is one of the causes.

To address this issue, the workshop brought together school authorities, parents, and local administration officials. Participants discussed the various forms of gender-based violence prevailing in the area, their negative impact on students as well as their solutions.

Participants of the workshop acknowledge the existence of gender-based violence in the region.

“Truly, gender-based violence is a reality in this area. We have many teenagers wandering in the streets begging. They are undisciplined. Recently, a group of them raped a 3-year-old girl, who nearly died if not for the intervention of the administration. These teenagers often come from poor families or have no families at all, which leads them to roam the streets,” said Claver Karenzo, Chief of Ruhehe Hill.

Another common form of GBV in the region is socio-economic violence. Most families rely on subsistence farming, yet in some cases, women are denied access to the harvest. Men often sell the harvest and use the money irresponsibly—on alcohol or infidelity—while leaving their wives with nothing.

“These conflicts often stem from how the harvest is managed. Some men want to control the harvest alone, denying their wives any share. Others sell it and waste the money on alcohol or affairs. This is a serious problem because they squander the family’s resources, often taking second wives or cheating with other women. We punish these men, but they often repeat the same behavior afterward,” added Claver Karenzo.

Karenzo also pointed out that men can be victims of gender-based violence as well.

“We discovered a woman who has two husbands. She spends the day with her unofficial partner and returns to her legal husband at night. We only found out much later because her husband was too afraid to report it,” he said.

The chief of Rubuga sub-hill, confirmed that GBV is a persistent issue in their area, highlighting the psychological and social effects it has on girls.

“In some families that only have daughters, the fathers—especially when drunk—insult their wives for not giving birth to boys,” the chief said,

Poverty further fuels gender-based exploitation, especially for young girls, both in and out of school. For example, female students lack access to sanitary pads, which causes stigma and leads them to miss school. Some men exploit this vulnerability by offering these girls basic necessities in exchange for sex. As a result, many girls drop out of school due to unplanned pregnancies.

“When girls are poor, some men take advantage of them. A girl in my neighborhood was tricked by a man and became pregnant. Her parents rejected her, saying she was no longer their child. She fled to her aunt’s home and stayed there until the family convinced her parents to take her back,” said Egide , a student student at Bugabira High School who attended the workshop

Estella , student at the same school, had also witnessed similar tragedy a few years before.

“Some girls carry deep sorrow. A few years ago, I had a friend from a very poor family. Despite having nice clothes and everything she needed, she was clearly sad. She confided in me that a man used to provide for her all she needed. He eventually impregnated her and forced her to have an abortion. Sadly, she kept bleeding after the abortion and finally died,”

Given the wide-reaching impact of gender-based violence on students and the community, participants in the training emphasized the importance of expanding such programs.

“These teachings are incredibly important. Unfortunately, only a limited number of people were invited. You should consider expanding the program. When you organize the next training, we will mobilize families involved in conflicts so they can benefit too. These teachings can change lives,” said Claver Karenzo.

According to the Provincial Director of Kirundo, over 6,000 students dropped out of school in the province during the first quarter and early weeks of the second quarter of the 2024-2025 school year. Some of the reasons behind this are gender-based violence, either inflicted directly on them or what they witness in their families.

The goal of these awareness campaigns is to eradicate all forms of GBV in the area and create a safe and supportive learning environment for all students. Restoration Burundi plans to increase such workshops.