government to repeal discriminatory legal provisions and investigate and prosecute those responsible for discrimination and violence. VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS In July, the UN Human Rights Committee, in its review of Burundi’s report, expressed concern about persistent violence against women, coupled with the low rate of reporting and prosecutions. This was due largely to the risk of stigmatization and reprisals faced by victims, impunity for perpetrators, and the insufficient number of reception centres and protection measures for victims. Also in July, the minister of interior made threatening and derogatory remarks about single mothers, following his earlier drive to prevent the registration of births of children to “unknown fathers”. He called on local administrators in Busiga commune in Ngozi province to beat them until they revealed the name of their children’s father. ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS Increasing prices of food, fuel, and other essential goods and services had a detrimental impact on the right to an adequate standard of living. Almost 10% of the national 2022/23 budget was allocated to social protection. However, more than half the population lived below the poverty line, and existing social protection programmes were already insufficient. Some of the measures taken by the government worsened the situation for those with the fewest resources. In June, the central bank gave 10 days’ notice of its decision to withdraw and replace all BIF 5,000 and 10,000 (around USD 1.74 and 3.48, respectively) denomination notes dating from 2018. Individuals, among the 20% of the population holding bank accounts, could deposit a maximum of BIF 10 million (around USD 3,500). Many people reportedly lost savings held in cash. RIGHT TO HEALTH The proportion of the national budget allocated to the health sector decreased from 13.4% in 2021/22 to 9.6% in 2022/23. While this may be explained by a sharp increase in the overall budget due to investments in agriculture and infrastructure, it fell short of the 15% target allocation set out in the 2001 Abuja Declaration on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Other Related Infectious Diseases.5 In a discussion on the proposed code of ethics for healthcare providers in August, the Council of Ministers recommended identifying a hospital that could be invested in as a location suitable for the treatment of “dignitaries” so that they would not need to leave the country for medical treatment. With the Ministry of Public Health reporting that over 50% of under-fives suffer from chronic malnutrition, this raised concerns about budgetary priorities. RIGHT TO A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT Almost 74,000 people remained internally displaced, 89% as a result of natural disasters. Numbers affected by natural disasters leapt from 106,698 in 2022 to 158,939 from January to August 2023, primarily due to torrential rains and flooding. REFUGEES’ AND MIGRANTS’ RIGHTS Over 25,000 Burundian refugees and asylum seekers returned to the country, bringing the total number repatriated since 2017 to 233,271, although a significant number (273,712 people) remained in neighbouring countries. Returnees were subjected to intimidation, extortion and arbitrary detention. The UN Human Rights Committee called on the government to take all necessary measures to guarantee returnees’ integration with security and dignity, and to conduct investigations into violations against them. 1. “Burundi: Arrest of former prime minister an opportunity for accountability”, 26 April 2. “Burundi: Continued impunity and shrinking civic space”, 22 September 3. “Burundi: One year on, fresh calls for journalist’s release”, 30 August The State of the World’s Human Rights 115