Burundis Orphans

Description: BUJUMBURA, Burundi, 7 March 2006 – UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman has praised the Government of Burundi for its work on child education, but has also drawn attention to the challenges relating to orphans and children living with HIV-AIDS. "There are about half a million orphans in this country," said Ms. Veneman, "approximately half of whom are from the war and approximately half of whom are orphans because their parents died from HIV-AIDS." Ms. Veneman's comments came while in Burundi at the end of a trip to Africa's Great Lakes region with World Food Programme Executive Director Jim Morris and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres. Ms. Veneman said that UNICEF is working with the government and with non-governmental partners in Burundi to address the needs of these orphans, many of whom are also homeless. She pledged that UNICEF will continue to work with the government on health care and protection of the rights of children and women. The purpose of the visit by the three UN agency heads was to consolidate efforts among their organizations and to raise awareness among the international community about the situation in the Great Lakes region.