Over 64,000 Refugees Flee to Burundi Amid Escalating Conflict in Eastern DRC
More than 64,000 refugees fleeing escalating conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have crossed into Burundi, intensifying an already growing humanitarian emergency.
UNFPA is urgently scaling up efforts to provide critical health and protection services for vulnerable women, girls, and young people arriving in the country. The majority of those crossing the border are women and children, including approximately 2,500 pregnant women and 7,000 malnourished children.
The new influx is overwhelming Burundi’s fragile health system, which is already stretched thin. The crisis unfolds as the country faces the lingering impact of the El Niño-induced emergency, which has displaced thousands more in the northwest.
Government and UNFPA Response
The Government of Burundi, with the support of UNFPA and other partners, is scaling up vital services, including sexual and reproductive health care and prevention and response for gender-based violence, to meet urgent needs on the ground.
“In times of crisis, women and girls face heightened risks. Our priority is to protect their rights, ensure their dignity, and deliver lifesaving health and protection services,” said Judicael Elidje, UNFPA Resident Representative in Burundi. “We are working closely with the government and humanitarian partners to respond to the urgent health and protection needs of those affected, particularly women and girls.”
