BUJUMBURA, Burundi (Dec. 2) — A Burundian rights group has accused the government of failing to protect street children, citing poor conditions at a temporary shelter and warning of risks including trafficking and statelessness.
In a statement issued on the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, the National Observatory for the Fight Against Transnational Crime (ONLCT) said children at a facility in Mishiha commune, Cankuzo province, are living in “inhumane conditions” with inadequate food and no access to vocational training.
“These children are not registered in the civil registry, a situation that leaves them stateless and vulnerable to trafficking,” said Maitre Prime Mbarubukeye, ONLCT president and legal representative.
The ONLCT reported that of the 1,762 children originally placed at the center, 821 have left. Some returned to street begging or sought manual labor to survive, while others were reportedly trafficked to Tanzania. According to the group, 941 children remain at the facility, where they live “in conditions akin to slavery.”
“They languish there against their will, without socio-professional training,” Mbarubukeye said.
The organization called on the Burundian government to ratify international conventions on statelessness and strengthen national laws to address the issue. It also urged the government to revise the 2000 Nationality Law and the 1993 Code of Persons and Family, which it said hinder efforts to reduce statelessness.
“Statelessness is not just a legal issue—it is a gateway to exploitation,” Mbarubukeye said.
The government has not responded to the allegations. The ONLCT’s statement comes as the international community marks a day dedicated to ending modern slavery and highlights ongoing challenges in protecting vulnerable populations.
