- Country: Burundi
- Contact person: Sebastian Bloching, bloching@elbarlament.org
- Project duration: March 2025-December 2025
- Project objective: To strengthen civil society organisations (CSOs) and improve dialogue between citizens and public authorities at the local level.
Empowering CSOs and Local Dialogue Frameworks in Burundi
This project was commissioned by ENABEL to support it’s Governance and Citizen Participation programme in Burundi.
At its core, the project focused on empowering CSOs in five municipalities in Burundi while raising awareness among municipal administrations about the value of inclusive public policy dialogue.
Some background information on the country:
Economic & Development Challenges
Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world, with extreme poverty, limited access to basic services, and ongoing energy and fuel shortages that affect daily life and economic activity. The lack of infrastructure, electricity access, and investment remains a major constraint on development.
Political and Governance Landscape
Governance in Burundi has been shaped by political instability and authoritarian tendencies. Freedom of expression, association, and assembly—core foundations for a thriving civil society—are restricted, and CSOs often operate in a tightly controlled environment.
Civil Society Reality
While civil society plays a vital role in community development, many organizations face legal and practical constraints. Laws introduced in recent years require NGOs to comply with strict reporting and operational rules, and organizations often self-censor to avoid conflict with authorities.
Importance of CSO Engagement
Despite restrictions, CSOs remain essential partners in addressing community needs—especially in areas like human rights, poverty reduction, environmental protection, and social cohesion. International actors (EU, AFD, UNDP, GIZ and others) continue to fund programs that strengthen CSO capacities and support dialogue between civil society and authorities.
Actions
Understanding real needs
Through focus groups and consultations with local CSOs across Burundi, we carried out in-depth needs assessments to ensure that all capacity-building activities respond to real challenges on the ground, not assumptions.
Building strong, resilient CSOs
Based on these findings, we designed a comprehensive capacity-building plan that helps grassroots organisations strengthen their structures, sharpen their skills, and engage more effectively with public institutions.
Strengthening dialogue and collaboration
The project also promoted constructive dialogue between CSOs and local authorities. By encouraging participation, transparency, and mutual trust, we helped create the conditions for meaningful public policy dialogue at the local level.
Key deliverables
Needs assessment and analysis
-
A detailed report identifying CSO capacity-building needs
-
Findings drawn directly from focus groups conducted in Burundi
Capacity-building framework
A results framework designed to support CSOs across key areas, including:
-
Internal governance and organizational structure
-
Project management and strategic planning
-
Advocacy and social dialogue
-
Resource mobilization and partnerships
-
Gender equality and inclusion
-
Networking and CSO platforms
Training tools and materials
To support effective learning and implementation, the project delivered:
-
A general training guide and thematic training modules
-
Manuals for trainers and participants
-
A training planning matrix and implementation tools
-
Monitoring and evaluation tools to track CSO participation in dialogue frameworks
Mentorship support
We strengthened long-term learning through targeted mentor training, including:
-
A pedagogical guide for mentors
-
A workshop implementation report
-
Individual mentoring plans for each trained representative
-
A complete mentor toolkit
Public policy dialogue workshops
Joint workshops brought together local authorities and CSOs to strengthen understanding and cooperation, supported by:
-
A Public Policy Dialogue Awareness Kit with educational and communication tools
-
A summary document capturing commitments and agreed follow-up actions
The project is funded by the Belgian Agency for International Cooperation