Banjul, 11 June 2024: HRDA, in collaboration with Burundi Young Lawyers Association (BYLA), has concluded a child rights strategic litigation workshop for child rights actors in Burundi.
The workshop, held from 10-11 June 2024 in Bujumbura, Burundi, sought to equip participants with skills to engage in strategic litigation before the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC).
Topics covered include an overview of human rights and child rights concepts and terminology, understanding the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and ACERWC’s role in ensuring its implementation. Discussions gave insights on strategic litigation before other African regional mechanisms for child rights protection, notably the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The workshop, which was formally opened by Honourable Joseph Ndayisenga, former ACERWC Chairperson, comes in a context where a significant gap remains between policymaking and implementation, with serious implications for the achievement of child rights in Burundi, amidst prevalence of human rights violations affecting children in the country.
The workshop falls within IHRDA’s mandate to equip stakeholders with knowledge, skills and practical experience on using the African human rights system to better promote and protect human rights in Africa.
