Comprehensive Sexuality Education
1. Context and background
Burundi is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. It has a young population and over the past few years has witnessed rapid population growth. Adolescents and young people in Burundi face serious challenges related to sexual and reproductive health (SRH), including under-age marriage, early and unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
While there is no formal sexuality education programme in schools, certain components of sexuality education are included in the national curriculum. In response to a strong imperative to address younger generations’ sexual and reproductive health (SRH) rights, the Menyumenyeshe project (‘Improving sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and youth in Burundi’ (2016-2020)) was initiated in collaboration with CARE, UNFPA, Cordaid, and Rutgers. This plan covers sexuality education, youth-based services, and a consent-granting environment.
2. Terminology
No formal terminology was found. The term ‘sexual and reproductive health (SRH)’ is used in the 2007 National Reproductive Health Policy and the National Health Policy 2016-2025.
3. Laws and policies
3.1. Relevant international/regional agreements to which the country is a signatory
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INTERNATIONAL |
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Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Ratification date: 1992 |
Acknowledges the need to guarantee sexuality education free from discrimination and stereotypes, conveying gender equality values. |
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Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) Ratification date: 1990 |
Commits to the right to access appropriate health-related information. |
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Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Ratification date: 2014 |
Commits to the highest attainable standard of health for persons with disabilities. |
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International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Accession date: 1990 |
Acknowledges that the right to sexual and reproductive health is an integral part of the right to health. |
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The 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action |
Calls for sexuality education, counselling and support mechanisms for adolescents, and identifies essential topics |
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3.2. Relevant national laws and policies mandating comprehensive sexuality education
The 2005 Constitution of Burundi and the 2013 Law on the Organization of Basic and Secondary Education (Law No. 1/19) make no mention of the inclusion of health, sexuality or life-skills education or any aspect of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) into curricula or school-based settings.
Existing policies and strategies create an enabling environment for CSE in Burundi include:
The Sector Plan for Development of Education and Training 2012-2020 includes gender and equity initiatives. The strategy encourages the integration of gender issues into basic education curricula and that gender stereotypes are identified and eliminated from curricula and teaching materials. The plan also aims to develop sectoral policies on HIV and sexuality education.
The Burundi Transitional Education Plan 2018-2020 supports the continuous development of policies for preventing and managing early and unintended pregnancies. Burundi’s National Development Plan 2018-2027 acknowledges the strong need for sexuality education.
The National Reproductive Health Policy 2007 supports the integration of SRH into education, from primary education up until university-level education. It also includes initiatives promote SRH and sexuality education for youth and adolescents, such as integrating sexuality education and reproductive health programmes into programmes at youth centres.
The National Health Policy 2016-2025 aims to strengthen SRH interventions for adolescents and youth. It prioritizes the provision of SRH services and information for adolescents and young people. In particular, it focuses on: the prevention of early pregnancies; the prevention of STIs and HIV; the prevention of early marriages. In the context of intersectionality, it prioritizes the introduction of sexuality education that is adapted to adolescents and young people in the school curriculum. It also promotes gender equality in schools, and the protection of adolescents against sexual violence and other forms of sexual abuse.
3.3. Curricula
Mandatory or optional
Certain aspects of CSE are mandatory as they are integrated into compulsory school curricula.
Model of delivery
Certain aspects of CSE are integrated into curricula across different grades in the following subjects: civics, biology and languages.
Comprehensiveness of content
No information was available.
Learning resources
In 2014, the Ministry of Education and the National Programme for Reproductive Health developed a teaching guide entitled ‘SRH and sexuality education for adolescents and young people – Teaching aides for teachers’. The modules are designed to be age-appropriate, with emphasis at the primary-school level on knowing one’s body, and at the secondary level on SRH and decision-making, and at the secondary level on assisting victims, among other topics.
3.4. Teachers
Teacher preparedness and capacity building: No information is available on consistent teacher training on topics related to CSE.
3.5. Schools
Access to school-based health services, including SRH: The National Reproductive Health Policy 2007 and the National Health Policy 2016-2025 support initiatives that include school-based health services and access for adolescents and youth to reproductive health services.
The reinforcement of CSE in schools or through community programmes is carried out through a programme called Education on Sexual and Reproductive Health of Adolescents and Youth, which has been in place since 2015 and is executed jointly by the Ministry of Education, Technical and Vocational Training, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Youth.
4. Governance
4.1 Responsible ministries
The Ministry of Education, Technical and Vocational Training, in collaboration with the health and youth ministries is responsible for the integration of sexuality education and reproductive health into school programmes.
4.2. Level of responsibility/decentralization and autonomy
No information was available.
4.3. Government budget allocation
No information was available.
5. Monitoring and reporting
The Burundi Transitional Education Plan 2018-2020 notes the need for data collection and processing on unwanted youth pregnancies so that there can be targeted action.
