On 30th April, 2012, International Bridges to Justice welcomed the meeting of the Jury of BURUNDI JANUSZ KORCZAK AWARD and was member of the Jury of this AWARD which aims to advance research in the field of the rights of the child as well as strengthen commitment to excellence on academic field. Student of universities of Burundi write essays on topics related to children rights and submit them to the selection committee.
The winner gets a scholarship to attend the Summer University on Children Rights, an international seminar organised by the International Institute of Children Rights (IDE) (www.childsrights.org) based in Switzerland. (Visit http://infos.korczak.fr/2008/05/creating-korczak-prize-in-burundi.html for more details)
The members of this Jury are personalities mandated by key institutions and organizations working on children rights or scientific research. Members are: the Burundi Ministry of Youth and Culture, the Burundi Ministry of high education and scientific research, the University of Burundi, the Light University of Bujumbura, the United Nations, Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the United Nations for International Children Emergency Funds (UNICEF), the Swiss Association of Janusz KORCZAK’s Friends and International Bridges to Justice as new member.
According to Jean-Claude Barakamfitiye, Secretary of Burundi Janusz Korczak Award and first Laureate of this award, IBJ have been involved in this selection committee because of its remarkable interventions in the protection of the basic rights of children accused of crime in Burundi. For him “The IBJ awareness campaigns conducted in Burundian prisons with a special focus on juveniles, the legal assistance already provided to hundreds of children, the roundtable sessions gathering key criminal stakeholders such as lawyers, judges, prosecutors, police officers, prison officials on the topics related to juvenile justice, all these efforts have brought positive impact in the welfare of many children and their families in Burundi and it is for this reason that IBJ has been asked to be member of the Janusz Korczak Prize Jury ”.
The country manager of IBJ in Burundi, Mr Astère Muyango, in his opening speech, welcomed in the IBJ office, institutions and organizations present for the Jury, and he expressed his appreciation on the initiative taken by both Centre Indépendant de Recherche et d’Initiatives pour le Dialogue (CIRID) and the Swiss Association of Janusz KORCZAK Friends to launch in Burundi this award, that allow to students of Universities to get aware of different challenges faced in the area of the rights of the child. Through their work, they highlight innovative recommendations. According to him, the publication of the winner’s researches will contribute to improve the rights of the child and can also bring a global change since the youth of today is the leaders of tomorrow and potential child rights defenders.
This Award is an opportunity for academics, individual researchers, public actors, UN agencies, and active organizations to meet and discuss issues regarding the compliance of the Burundi system to international convention on the rights of the child. In addition, participants expressed the idea of creating a network in order to address challenges met by each of the actor and fulfil the gaps found in the frame of the protection of the rights of the child.
On the left, Prof Philippe Ntahombaye, Lecturer at University
of Burundi,moderating debates