Impact of Gender Based Violence on Community Development: Case Study of Rumonge Commune

Abstract

Gender-based violence is a global problem that affects women and girls of all races, colour and creed. It occurs across all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, and in many societies, including Burundi despite different international, regional and national instruments ratified to protect women against GBV and its effects. This study conducted with 96 individuals selected using Alain BOUCHARD’s technic highlights the impact of gender based violence (GBV) on community development and provide some suggestions for action in remedy to gender based violence persistence for full community development. It specifically shows the reasons behind the persistence of gender based violence in Rumonge commune and its implications on the bad living conditions of families. To achieve this, we opted for qualitative approaches with the use of the interview guide and quantitative with the use of a questionnaire administered directly to heads of households distributed in 6 zones of Rumonge Commune. These reasons are fundamentally linked to Burundian culture and tradition that structures how people have to behave and live in the society.  In view of the impact of GBV, identified as a constraint to individual and societal development, this article highlights a set of activities to be done to reduce GBV. These include community dialogues around laws regarding families, gender norms and development; education and awareness of the impacts and ways to prevent it for full community development.