Burundi

Burundi has a National Mechanism for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up (NMIRF) called the Permanent Interministerial Committee for drafting initial and periodic reports and following up on recommendations from treaty bodies and the UPR. It does not handle Special Procedures visits but facilitates dialogue, reporting, and follow-up with UN human rights mechanisms.

The national mechanism was established by Ministerial Ordinance No. 225/834 of 19 July 2023, revising the 2021 ordinance on the Permanent Interministerial Committee for drafting reports and following up on treaty body and UPR recommendations.

The NMIRF is placed under the Ministry of National Solidarity, Social Affairs, Human Rights and Gender, specifically within the General Directorate of Human Rights, Peace Education, and National Reconciliation. It operates under the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry in charge of Human Rights.

Composition The NMIRF is led by the Ministry of National Solidarity, Social Affairs, Human Rights and Gender, and it includes representatives from: Justice; Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation; National Defense and Veterans Affairs; Interior, Community Development and Public Security; Finance, Budget and Economic Planning; National Education and Scientific Research; Communication, IT and Media; Civil Service, Labor and Employment; East African Community Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture; Public Health and Fight Against AIDS.

Focal points are designated via ministerial correspondence by the lead ministry; their appointment is not part of their formal job descriptions except for the Human Rights Ministry. Focal points are ministry-specific, not mechanism-specific.

Secretariat A permanent secretariat exists within the Department for Treaty Bodies, Special Procedures, and UPR, responsible for identifying reports, drafting them, and following up on recommendations.

Institutional memory and training New NMIRF members receive capacity-building at the start of each report drafting process, organized by the Department for Treaty Bodies, Special Procedures, and the UPR.

Selected members have received training on UPR and the Convention Against Torture during UN human rights sessions.

MANDATE

The mandate of the national mechanism includes: • Reporting to UN Human Rights Mechanisms (UN Treaty Bodies, UPR) ☒ • Responding to communications (allegation letters, urgent appeals, questionnaires) from UN Special Procedures and hosting visits of UN Special Procedures ☒ • Reporting to Regional Human Rights Mechanisms ☒ • Follow-up of recommendations from human rights protection mechanisms (Special Procedures, Treaty Bodies, UPR) ☒ • Implementation of recommendations from human rights protection mechanisms (including contribution to legislative changes) ☒ • Ensuring human rights education and training ☒ • Advocacy ☒ • Fundraising ☒

The national mechanism engages with the UN Special Procedures, UN Treaty Bodies, UPR, and Regional Human Rights Mechanisms, including trhough reports under the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Meetings are quarterly, semi-annual, or annual, with flexibility for additional meetings during report drafting; sectoral ministry focal points participate.

Process for the preparation of state reports:

• Department identifies required reports.

• Drafting is organized with capacity-building and role assignment.

• Data collection (2 weeks–1 month) from sectoral ministries.

• Drafting, pre-validation (2–3 days), and national validation workshop.

• Integration of feedback, proofreading, and hierarchical review.

• Transmission to Presidency, Vice-Presidency, or Prime Minister’s Office for feedback.

• Final submission via Ministry of Foreign Affairs to relevant treaty bodies.

Working groups are established based on thematic needs (children, women, data collection, proofreading).

Ministry focal points participate in validation sessions and workshops.

The NMIRF coordinates with specialized focal points, including with the General Directorate of National Solidarity and Social Assistance, responsible for implementing the national policy on persons with disabilities and its action plan and the Technical Inspectorate for Human Rights, Promotion of Women, and Gender Equality.

Linkages with the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals The national mechanism does not directly coordinate with the SDG coordination mechanism. The entity responsible for coordinating the Voluntary National Review (VNR) is not part of the committee.

Channel of communication with the National Statistics Office Each ministry has statistical units contributing to the national statistical yearbook, coordinated by the National Statistics Committee, with a designated statistical data officer in every ministry.

Channel of communication with the Parliament The parliament is represented by focal points from the Human Rights Commission in both the Senate and National Assembly, participating in report validation, presentations, and oral question sessions.

Channel of communication with the Judiciary Two judicial focal points in the permanent drafting committee provide input throughout report drafting, validation, and presentation. Reports are jointly presented by the Minister of Justice, Minister in charge of Solidarity, and the Prosecutor General.

CONSULTATION

Consultation takes place with civil society, marginalized groups (e.g., indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities), and the CNIDH (NHRI) participates in drafting and validation workshops. Workshops last 2–3 days and involve group work to review and supplement report content. A consultation framework exists between the General Directorate of Human Rights, civil society, and CNIDH, also supported by capacity-building sessions.

No formal archiving system has yet been put in place. Tracking relies on emails via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Mission.

No validated national human rights policy currently exists; a proposal and action plan are planned for update and validation under the Joint Human Rights Program.

UPR recommendations have priority actions identified and budgeted. However there is no dedicated funding currently available.