Bujumbura, May 6, 2025 — Press Cafe; A high arena for advocacy held at City Hill Hotel, where women’s voices, leadership, and rights took center stage in a national dialogue on governance reforms.
The event organized by the Women’s International Peace Centre (WIPC) in partnership with Association des Femmes Rapatriés du Burundi (AFRABU), brought together a cross-section of the media, civil society organizations, and gender experts to engage on the need to integrate women’s perspectives into policy frameworks shaping local leadership.
The conversation unfolded against the backdrop of the recently adopted decentralization reforms, including the new communal law, which have significant implications for how local governance is structured and who gets to participate. The Press Café created a space not only to inform but also to influence, ensuring that women across the country are aware of what is at stake and equipped to engage in decision-making spaces.
Among the notable participants were leading feminist voices in Burundi — Clémence Bununagi, Monique Kayibanda, and Pascasie Sinzinkayo — who served as panelists and gender experts. They were joined by Mrs. Dative Ntahomfise, Director of Decentralization at the Ministry of the Interior, Community Development, and Public Security.
Mrs. Ntahomfise’s delivered a keynote presentation on the law governing the commune, with a focus on:
- The new administrative division and its implications for governance
- Law No. 1/05 of March 16, 2023, which determines and delimits provinces, communes, zones, hills, and neighborhoods in the Republic of Burundi
- The structure and functioning of the new communal organization.
- The role of deconcentrated services at the commune.
- Local planning mechanisms
- The transfer of responsibilities and resources to local structures
Her address emphasized how this new legal and institutional framework directly affects the potential for women’s representation and participation in local governance. She also stressed the importance of raising awareness among women about the opportunities and challenges embedded in the new system, encouraging them to be proactive in claiming space within communal structures.
Building on this legal overview, the panelists’ discussions shed light on the current gaps in women’s representation in the structures, the risks of exclusion and the need for deliberate mechanisms to ensure women’s inclusion.
The law offers some guarantees, but with strong political will, women can go even further. The ideal, they said, would be full gender parity in all decision-making bodies. The panelists also appreciated that the new law includes a department dedicated to the fight against exclusion.
Capable women do exist, particularly in the field of education. However, they are rarely found in leadership positions. Promotions often go through political party headquarters, where decision-making roles are generally held by men. – One panelist emphasized. I would feel reassured if there were binding provisions for implementing the new law, she added saying that the new departments in the structures do not offer women any more opportunities to access leadership roles than before.
Further concerns expressed by participants included;
- Whether the 30% constitutional quota for women in leadership positions would be upheld in the new structures.
- The practical challenges facing the implementation of the new communal law, especially integrating women
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How women can organize, advocate, and position themselves within the newly forming power dynamics at the communal level
As key recommendations, participants called for the inclusion of more than 30% constitutional quota for women, ideally full gender parity among leaders of the future communal departments. They also emphasized the importance of widely publicizing the new communal law.
This Press Café reaffirmed the critical role of advocacy spaces in shaping inclusive governance. It provided a platform for women’s voices to be heard regarding their participation in emerging administrative system that will soon be established after the elections
Working together with AFRABU, The Peace Centre is committed to continue advocating for women’s meaningful representation and participation in decision making processes as well as raise awareness among decision-makers on the importance of considering women in these new communal departments and other local leadership positions.
We’re #30YearsAndBold
