Society

Human Rights Minister urges NGOs to do activities matching with government plan

“We are not fully satisfied with the results of activities carried out by local as well as international non-governmental organizations on the field,” said Martin Nivyabandi, Minister of Human Rights, Social Affairs and Gender during a meeting held on June 25 with representatives of UN agencies, foreign and local NGOs.

Some NGO representatives attended a meeting held by the Minister of Human Rights, Social Affairs and Gender in Bujumbura

The meeting aimed at analyzing together how to improve cooperation between the Ministry and its partners. Minister Nivyabandi has denounced the lack of coordination of activities conducted by NGOs operating in his domain.

He has said some NGOs with the same objectives spend money on the same beneficiaries “which causes the loss of resources and inefficiency in developing social economy”.
Mr Nivyabandi regrets that the activities of these organizations do not match with the ministry’s action plan. “The ministry is unable to evaluate the achievements of each NGO,” says Nivyabandi.
Since some NGOs have signed new agreements with the government, they have not submitted the reports of conducted activities to the ministry.

He also says that these NGOs spend much money organizing capacity-building or awareness-raising workshops in one or another area instead of funding development projects.
“NGOs involved in promoting women’s rights should fund women’s empowerment projects instead of organizing workshops,” he says.

Garry Conille, UN Resident Coordinator in Burundi, has asked the ministry to coordinate the activities of these NGOs. “We strongly approve the Minister’s proposal to ensure that we are much more efficient and effective in the activities that we carry out,” he says.
The Human Rights Minister and his partners have agreed to closely collaborate to better coordinate NGOs activities.

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