Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Burundi
On September 23, 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration, and Development Cooperation, His Excellency Ambassador Edouard BIZIMANA, addressed the high-level meeting convened by the President of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women.
In his address, the Minister conveyed the appreciation of the Burundian people for the progress made since 1995, reaffirming his commitment to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, essential reference frameworks for gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. The Burundian people emphasized the importance of preserving the integrity of the principles adopted in Beijing, in particular the understanding of the term ‘’gender’’ as referring to biological sex, namely women and men. This conceptual clarity is essential to ensure targeted public policies that respect the dignity and specific rights of women and girls.
It should be noted that since 1975, the United Nations has organized four conferences on women in Mexico City, Copenhagen, Nairobi, and Beijing, respectively, with the aim of promoting gender equality, women’s rights, and their empowerment worldwide. The 1995 Beijing Conference, which resulted in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, remains the international benchmark for gender equality. The celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Conference by UN Member States reinforces their commitment to the progress made and the challenges that remain.
The Minister said that Burundi attaches particular importance to motherhood, family, and unpaid care work, which play a fundamental role in social cohesion and sustainable development. He noted that the Burundian people call for full recognition of these realities in development policies, in accordance with Goal 5 of the 2030 Agenda.
In this regard, Burundi has taken concrete steps to strengthen the rights and capacities of women and girls, including: the establishment of the Women’s Investment Bank, facilitating access to financing for women entrepreneurs, free healthcare, guaranteeing pregnant women accessible, high-quality healthcare services and free primary school education, which is the cornerstone of empowering girls and combating inequality from an early age.
The Minister concluded his speech by saying that the people of Burundi remain convinced that strong and stable families are the first line of defense against violence, exploitation and poverty, which too often affect women and girls. Burundi reiterates its commitment to working toward the full implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, while respecting the fundamental human values and cultural realities of each nation.