Highlights
Faced with a real risk of a nationwide shortage of essential drugs, UNICEF was able to order essential drugs to cover priority needs in over 900 health centers and district hospitals for the next 2.5 months. A first cargo relief flight carrying 70 tons of essential drugs for children and women landed in Bujumbura on 27 November. Nevertheless, the shortage is expected to continue for at least 6 months.
On 27 November, the Child Helpline was inaugurated, providing children and community members an important new mechanism to report child rights violations and seek help.
53 children charged with involvement in armed groups began the family reintegration process on 30 November, following a careful family assessment for each child which ensured conditions for safe reintegration were met.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
On 12 November, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2248, expressing its deep concern about the ongoing escalation of insecurity and the continued rise in violence in Burundi. The security situation within Burundi remains tense and fluid and children continue to be exposed to violence, nighttime raids and the considerable stress of their families. The capital city, Bujumbura, has experienced an evolution in the weapons used in the political crisis, with mortars being used on 2 occasions to seemingly targetthe Presidential Residence and RTNB, the national broadcaster.
Burundians continue to flee the country, with roughly 12,000 departures in the past month, bringing the total number of refugees to over 219,000 (UNHCR, 25 November). In addition, new data from a displacement tracking matrix study conducted by IOM with support from UNICEF and other UN agencies indicates that the border province of Makamba is witnessing a swell in numbers of internally displaced people (IDPs), with close to 15,000 people internally displaced in this province alone. 61.7% of the IDPs surveyed are children and almost the totality of IDPs (98%) declare that their displacement is due to ongoing violence and unpredictable political context.