A Burundian rights watchdog sounded the alarm Thursday after documenting 281 cases of Burundian children trafficked to Tanzania in 2024, calling the figure a “national emergency” that demands stronger government action.
The National Observatory for the Fight Against Transnational Crime (ONLCT “Ou est ton frère?”) released the data as the world marked Universal Children’s Day, saying the number of young victims underscores the persistent threat of child trafficking in the country.
In its 2024 annual report, ONLCT found that the children were trafficked for sexual and economic exploitation. One hundred thirty children were recruited from Burunga Province and 151 from Buhumuza, two border regions identified as the main hubs for traffickers.
“It is truly incomprehensible and unacceptable that Burundian children continue to be recruited and trafficked in full view of everyone, easily crossing the Burundi–Tanzania border,” said ONLCT president and legal representative Maitre Prime Mbarubukeye.
While the organization acknowledged progress by the Burundian government in strengthening child protection, it said the scale of the problem shows that “a giant step forward” is still required.
The ONLCT urged authorities to create local multisectoral networks to monitor and prevent trafficking and to increase the national budget dedicated to child protection, which it described as too small to meet urgent needs.
The group warned that Burundi cannot achieve sustainable development while thousands of children remain vulnerable. It cited an estimated 7,000 children living on the streets, 15% of children unregistered at birth, and more than 260,000 school dropouts each year, conditions that make minors easy targets for traffickers.
“Ensuring every child grows up in a safe, balanced and rights-respecting environment is essential,” the organization said.
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