All NIMD’s efforts in Burundi – from dialogue, to women’s political participation, to youth and inclusivity, are centred around fostering strong and responsive political institutions, who work towards increasing trust and inclusion.

This starts with working closely with political parties. We believe in responsive parties, which adopt clear and distinct policies, and which back candidates who reflect the diversity of society. Such parties can form the cornerstone for building a genuinely democratic society where all voices count.

That is why, through training workshops, we give Burundian parties extra tools to develop their political programmes, strengthen internal democracy and improve their organizational structure.

Our workshops are attended mainly by core members from 10 different political parties but with ambitions to expand assistance to all 37 parties in coming years. We focus not only on updating strategic plans and party programmes, but also on enhancing internal democracy and making party structures more inclusive. By breaking down internal barriers that limit the participation of young people and women, we aim to ensure that all voices are heard and represented in the elections.

Since starting our programming with BLTP in Burundi in 2008, promoting dialogue between political parties has been central to NIMD’s work.

This is a tradition which has carried through into our current programming. NIMD organizes dialogue on various levels to support political parties as they become more responsive and work towards electoral reform.

This process starts in our training sessions, where political parties learn about the power of dialogue, and how to seek consensus and mutual understanding through open and respectful dialogue.

NIMD Burundi then organizes multistakeholder dialogues, bringing together political parties, administrative officials, community leaders, and leaders of civil society organizations at different levels (national, provincial, and communal) to discuss the country’s political priorities.

By bringing political parties face-to-face with these groups, NIMD hopes to increase understanding of, and responsiveness to, their demands and needs.

These issues are addressed once more in regular dialogue sessions between political actors and the Government. Through these political dialogues, we aim to support the participants as they acknowledge differences, challenge biases and find common ground, The sessions provide a valuable opportunity to foster inclusive political processes and prepare for peaceful elections.

Indeed, our political dialogue provides a safe space where sensitive issues can be addressed openly and respectfully. By discussing electoral processes, the participants pave the way for inclusive electoral reform.

Elections must be transparent, in order to inspire trust among the general population. People must feel fairly represented by their political system if they are to cast their vote at election time.

That is part of the reason why, through all its activities in Burundi, NIMD adheres to its principles of inclusivity and diversity and promotes the participation of women.

Through our work with political parties, we support them as they enhance their internal democracy and make their party structures more inclusive. By breaking down internal barriers that limit the participation of women, we aim to ensure that their voices are heard and represented in the Burundian politics.

Young people are chronically underrepresented in Burundi’s decision-making bodies. And amplifying their voices has always been a key focus of NIMD’s work in the country.

We do this through a several connected activities.

First, we work directly with young members of political parties. We host dialogue forums where they can share their experiences and build networks with other young politicians from different parties.

Together, these young leaders create a shared agenda and vision. They also engage in intergenerational dialogues with national and local party leaders to push for youth issues to be given more attention.

But young people cannot achieve political success on their own. In many places, including Burundi, there are economic, cultural and social barriers that hinder their participation. That’s why we also work to influence key political figures to help remove these obstacles. We do this through lobbying initiatives, as well as through our training sessions with political parties.