ACORD

Since independence in 1962, Burundi has been plagued by tension between its two major groups, Hutu and Tutsi, and been the scene of one of Africa's most intractable conflicts. The governance system inherited from the colonial times created systemic social exclusion and deep disparities that were among the roots causes of the conflict. With the support of the UN, AU and the international community, the country is now beginning to reap the dividends of the peace process. Political power sharing has been agreed upon in a referendum on a new constitution which ensures Tutsis 40 per cent of the seats in the national assembly and Hutus 60 per cent, while they will have an equal share in the senate. A new national government was democratically elected in August 2005, marking the start of a new era that is expected to end decades of turbulence. Decentralisation of authority to the local level is underway through "la Loi Communale" and there is a gradual change from the traditionally centralized environment towards more participatory policy making.

The challenges for the now ruling political party CNDD/FDD, originally a rebel group, include the economic and social reintegration of a large number of IDPs and returning refugees as well as the demobilization and reintegration of hundred thousands of ex-combatants, ex-soldiers and community militia. How issues of justice and impunity of the authors of massacres and killing are handled will be critical for maintaining security and political stability. Moreover, the majority of the population struggles to make a living as farmers and pastoralists, in the aftermath of conflict, recurrent droughts and in a difficult economic environment. The gender imbalances, increasing HIV and AIDS infection rates and general, wide spread poverty call for the urgent reestablishment of social services. Meanwhile continued high debt servicing and economic liberalization in a context of corruption does not promise too well for more equitable growth and development.

ACORD's overall aim in Burundi is to consolidate social peace. More specifically, the objectives are to:
• Support the decentralization process through active citizenship participation
• Strengthen the social and economic mechanisms for reintegration of vulnerable persons

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Thematic Focus

ACORD's work is centred on local governance and livelihoods, integrating the conflict dimension and working towards sustainable peace. Gender and HIV & AIDS are important cross-cutting issues.

 

Conflict: ACORD Burundi and ACORD Tanzania have conducted a joint participatory research on the repatriation and reintegration of Burundian refugees. The research involved the refugees and their host communities in Tanzania as well as returning refugees and IDPs and the receiving communities in Burundi. This created space for negotiation between the involved parties and brought out key issues that need to be taken up at policy level in the framework of the repatriation and reintegration policy, particularly in relation to the 400,000 Burundian refugees in Tanzania.

 

Community Social Contracts: Despite the overall Arusha peace accord from year 2000, many issues remain unresolved at the community level. With the purpose of promoting local implementation of the national peace agreement and promote sustainable peace in the communities, ACORD is testing "social contracts" for cohabitation in four pilot communes. The pilot districts have been selected from those most hardly affected by the conflict and the initiative involves a cross-set of the population including both returning IDPs and refugees and those that had remained in the village. Participatory methodologies, social exclusion analysis and other tools help to stimulate community self analysis, a common understanding and to negotiate a social contract of cohabitation and plan for common development projects. The experiences to date are very positive and ACORD wants to document and share the lessons learnt with other actors to promote the scaling up of the methodology at the national level. A recent initiative focuses on the reintegration of ex-combatants.

 

 

Governance and Participation: In a context historically characterized by top-down decision making processes, ACORD is actively promoting community empowerment and bottom-up development planning and control through community development committees (CDCs) in partnership with IFAD and the NGOs Africare, Care, Prefed and Twitezimbere. Key activities include capacity building of CDCs and local government in participatory approaches and gender awareness, providing space for community-government dialogue, and supporting emerging leadership of community development representatives towards more balanced power relationships.
In alliance with other partners, ACORD engages in critical debates around the MDGs, Burundi's PRSP, EPA and decentralization. Drawing on its experiences at the grass roots level, ACORD seeks to sensitize policy makers on issues related to social exclusion, reintegration, community social contracts, mainstreaming of gender in policy, HIV, stigma and discrimination etc.

 

 

Livelihoods: As part of its engagement with communities on social contracts and reintegration of IDPs and refugees, ACORD is running a microfinance scheme, particularly adapted to the situation of conflict affected and deprived communities. This approach is contributing to building trust and group solidarity within the community. ACORD helps to rebuild their means of production in agriculture and livestock and to promote food security as 95% of Burundians rely on agriculture and livestock for their livelihood. Moreover, ACORD is promoting the institutional development of CBOs to become part of a social movement that claim its rights and engages constructively with local authorities in the new decentralized context in Burundi.

 

 

Gender and HIV/AIDS are crosscutting themes. ACORD has a high profile in the engendering of national policies and programmes. In cooperation with partners such as UNIFEM, ACORD is training and sensitizing decision makers, MPs, media, government ministries and international organizations. ACORD was particularly instrumental in the process that led to the revised national policy on gender. A similar process is now underway for HIV and AIDS and ACORD is advocating for due attention to be given to issues of stigma and discrimination.

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Who We Work With

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