COMMUNIQUE OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE EMMANUEL SINZOHAGERA, CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE OF THE REPUBLIC OF BURUNDI AT THE 11TH CONFERENCE OF AND 12TH MEETING OF THE ASSECAA

Rabat, Kingdom of MOROCCO,

Wednesday, March 3, 2022

Theme: « Women and the Youth in the core of sustainable                               development and investment policies »

Everywhere the worldwide, it has been demonstrated that it is fundamental to invest in education, health as well as economic opportunities for women and the youth (boys and girls) in order to achieve human capital potential and drive sustainable economic growth.

Investing in youth is investing in a better future. Any country which invests in health-oriented, welfare and education of the youth initiatives helps that youth become leaders for tomorrow within their community.

In Burundi, the Government ensures free health care for children aged less than five years, supports school fees for all the children in primary schools and has recently established an Investment Bank for the Youth.

It is important to invest also in the education and health of girls, to empower women and provide them with social protection to increase their resilience to crises. The economic stakes are high: by promoting the participation of women in working life, improving their productivity and promoting female entrepreneurship.

The education of girls is, in terms of development, the best of investments a country may achieve. The Ghanaian intellectual James Emman Aggrey was not wrong when he said that: “Educating a man is educating an individual. Educating a woman is educating a whole nation”.   

According to a World Bank study, each year of secondary education for a girl is associated with an 18% increase in her earning capacity in adulthood. Research also shows that educating girls has a large multiplier effect: when they are better educated, women are healthier, receive higher incomes, have fewer children, marry later and benefit their children better health care and better education.

Women are our mothers, our daughters, our sisters, our aunts, our cousins ​​and our friends. There are so many reasons to invest in them far beyond the love we have for them:

1. According to the USAID, countries in which women hold at least 30% of elective positions are more open, more egalitarian and more democratic;
2. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found that with the same access to land, new technologies and finance as men, women can achieve agricultural yields of up to 30% higher;
3. As noted by former World Bank Chief Economist, Lawrence Summers, “investing in girls’ education is undoubtedly the most rewarding investment available to developing countries.” For each year of secondary education, a girl’s salary will increase by about 20%;
4. The education of a girl pays off to the family when the girl becomes a woman. According to USAID, when 10% more girls go to school in a country, its GDP increases by an average of 3%;
5. Educated women are better able to take care of themselves and their children. According to UNESCO, a child whose mother can read is 50% more likely to live beyond the age of 5;
6. Education is essential in the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS, according to UNICEF. Why? Because more educated girls tend to be more careful with sex;
7. When a woman’s life is appreciated for its value, when her experience is taken into account and her point of view listened to, the result is positive. In their peacekeeping operations, the United Nations found that murderous conflicts can be avoided when women are involved;

• Women have an important role to play in reconciliation and reconstruction operations. According to the UN, involving women in conflict negotiations and peace efforts can lead to more widely accepted and lasting peace agreements.

Burundi has made significant progress in empowering women and youth, including setting up the Women Investment Bank.

Thank you !