A/HRC/39/63 mainly in terms of health care, food, water, hygiene and sanitation, increased from 1 million to 3.6 million, representing more than 34 per cent of the population.24 59. Against this backdrop, the Government has not redirected its domestic resources to give priority to social spending, the demand for which has risen steadily in a country whose population of 10.5 million is likely to double by 2030.25 On the contrary, a review of the annual State budgets shows that the amount of domestic resources devoted to defence and security expenditures has risen faster than the amounts allocated to basic services other than education. This situation has had a disproportionate impact on women because of their specific needs with regard to services, including health services, and because the lack of social services increases the burden of unpaid work borne by women within the family.26 60. By way of example, the budgets allocated to the National Intelligence Service, the Special Brigade for the Protection of Institutions and the Unit for the Protection of Institutions (Appui à la protection des institutions), some of whose members have been identified by the Commission as being among the main perpetrators of human rights violations, were increased by 12 per cent, 13.3 per cent and 47.6 per cent, respectively, between 2015 and 2018, while the domestic resources provided to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock were reduced by 27.4 per cent.27 What is more, corruption and misappropriation of public funds among high-level authorities are further depleting the resources that the State should be devoting to efforts to safeguard the rights of the population, especially with respect to food and health. Hundreds of people living with AIDS are going without treatment, owing in particular to the dire shortage of certain items in several of the country’s hospitals. 61. Recruitment of the population has had a direct impact on the economic and social rights of individuals, including in schools, universities and professional circles. Some teachers and students have been pressured or have been removed from their schools because they refused to join CNDD-FDD, to pay the contribution for the 2020 elections or to attend information meetings about the constitutional amendment. Others have had to leave the country. Hiring decisions in the civil service and in public-private enterprises have been dictated by whether or not the applicant belongs to CNDD-FDD. Trade unions that are not affiliated with the majority party have come under threat and have difficulty operating. E. Dysfunction in the judicial system 62. An in-depth study of the judicial system28 has confirmed the long-standing lack of judicial independence in Burundi, as the executive branch exercises institutional control over judges and courts through its control of the Judicial Service Commission; most courts’ budgets are managed by the Government; judges are appointed and promoted in an arbitrary manner; the principle that judges should have security of tenure is absent; and judges are inadequately paid, creating a situation that is conducive to corruption. Furthermore, the judicial system in Burundi does not have enough resources to function properly, despite the recent construction and rehabilitation of courtrooms. 63. At the operational level, the Commission found examples of dysfunction in all components of the criminal justice system. The executive branch frequently issues orders and otherwise interferes with politically sensitive cases, either to protect members of CNDD-FDD and the Imbonerakure by having them acquitted or released, or to have opponents of the Government convicted and imprisoned. The use of the broadly and vaguely defined offence of “undermining the internal security of the State” to prosecute opponents has given rise to abuses. Interference by the authorities is sometimes 24 25 26 27 28 GE.18-13070 Humanitarian country team, Aperçu des besoins humanitaires au Burundi 2018, November 2017. According to the World Bank, the annual population growth rate now stands at 3.1 per cent. According to the World Bank, 90 per cent of the unpaid work done in Burundi is carried out by women; see World Bank, Burundi Poverty Assessment (see note 23). Calculated by the Commission. See A/HRC/39/CRP.1. 13

Select target paragraph3

Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents