Photo of the week : rising sexual violence threatens girls’ education at Kinyinya

SOS Médias Burundi

Kinyinya, May 5, 2025 – The district of Kinyinya, in Ruyigi province (eastern Burundi), is facing an alarming upsurge in sexual violence targeting underage girls. Since mid-March, around ten cases have been reported, particularly in the villages of Mayanza, Vumwe, Nyamunazi, and Nyamigina.

According to Divine Kamuco, head of Family and Social Development in Kinyinya, these incidents already exceed the annual total of cases recorded over the past five years. She attributes this increase to the proliferation of informal markets along the roads, where malicious individuals take advantage of the busy times to trap young girls.

The district administrator, Mr. Fulgence Kwizera, calls for vigilance and collective responsibility to protect young girls. He emphasizes that the perpetrators of these acts will be prosecuted and punished in accordance with the law.

A direct impact on the education of adolescent girls

This rise in sexual violence has a direct impact on the education of young girls. Nationally, the figures are worrying. During the 2020-2021 school year, Burundi recorded 191,281 cases of school dropouts, including 189,176 in primary education. The provinces of Kirundo, Muyinga, Makamba, Ruyigi, Kayanza, and Rutana are among the most affected, with dropout rates exceeding 10,000 cases each.

Causes of these dropouts are multiple : household poverty, teenage pregnancies, job searches in neighboring countries, demotivation due to unemployment, and inadequate learning conditions. In Cibitoke province, for example, more than 8,000 cases of school dropouts have been recorded over the last two quarters, due in particular to insufficient classrooms and parental neglect.

Faced with this situation, local authorities and education stakeholders are calling for concerted action to reverse the trend. The establishment of school canteens, the improvement of educational infrastructure, and community awareness-raising are all recommended measures to guarantee the right to education for all children, especially girls.

Our photo : a pupil stands up to answer a teacher’s question in a classroom in Burundi; girls’ education is threatened by sexual violence in the east of the country (SOS Médias Burundi)