Clotilde Niragira

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Clotilde Niragira
Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Government Seals
In office
2005–2007
PresidentPierre Nkurunziza
Preceded byDidace Kiganahe
Succeeded byLaurent Nzeyimana
Minister of Civil Service, Labour and Social Security
In office
2007–2009
PresidentPierre Nkurunziza
Head of Civil Cabinet/President's Deputy Chief of Staff
In office
2009–2011
PresidentPierre Nkurunziza
Minister of National Solidarity, Human Rights and Gender
In office
2011–2015/2016
PresidentPierre Nkurunziza
Secretary-General of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
In office
2015/2016–2018
PresidentPierre Nkurunziza
Personal details
Born1968
Commune of Bugenyuzi, Burundi
Died19 February 2021(2021-02-19) (aged 52–53)
Nairobi, Kenya

Clotilde Niragira (1968 – 19 February 2021) was a Burundian politician and lawyer. She served as head of three separate ministries in Pierre Nkurunziza's government and was Secretary-General of Burundi's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Early career

Clotilde Niragira was born in the

civil servants demanding a 34% pay rise.[5] In 2009 she was appointed Head of the Civil Cabinet and was later Nkurunziza's Deputy Chief of Staff.[6][7]

Minister of National Solidarity

Niragira was appointed

Commission on Population and Development in April 2014. Whilst there she announced the aims of the Burundi 2025 initiative for sustainable development which seeks to reduce the rate of poverty from 67% to 33%, increase economic growth and reduce population growth from 2.4% to 2% per year.[9]

At the 58th session of the United Nations

Commission on the Status of Women Niragira committed to end violence against women in Burundi in accordance with the Kampala Declaration on Violence against Women and Girls. She announced that the country had adopted a national strategy to combat such acts including through the adoption of harsher sentences on trafficking, exploiting and prostituting women.[11] Niragira returned to the commission for the 58th session where she revealed that Burundi had achieved equal numbers of boys and girls in primary education and the implementation of a quota system to encourage the employment of women in public services. She also restated Burundi's commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Niragira stated that her aims were to reduce the disparity in provision of post-primary education, empower women economically and reduce sexual violence.[12]

Niragira remained National Solidarity Minister until at least 2015.[13]

Secretary-General of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Niragira was later appointed Secretary-General of the Burundian Truth and Reconciliation Commission, whose aim is to investigate the Burundian genocides; she appointed an international advisory council in March 2016, which allowed the work of the commission to begin.[14] The commission has implemented a programme to identify and exhume mass graves, identify victims and perpetrators where possible and re-bury bodies with appropriate funerals. The first mass grave was excavated in June 2017; a further 2,500 are estimated to exist in the country. Niragira has promised to implement a system of compensation for the victims and their families.[15] Niragira's appointment to the commission ended in December 2018.[1]

Death

From December 2020 Niragira was appointed regional director of an organisation in

brain cancer. Niragira received treatment in Kampala and apparently made a recovery. She afterwards suffered a stroke and was hospitalised for a few days. At the end of 2020 she had recovered sufficiently to return to Burundi on holiday. However, Niragira suffered another stroke and was paralysed on one side of her body. She was medically evacuated to Nairobi, Kenya, on 14 January 2021. Niragira fell into a coma and died on 19 February 2021.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Disparition de Clotilde Niragira !". IWACU – les voix du Burundi. 20 February 2021. Archived from the original on 20 February 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  2. from the original on 21 February 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Burundi: Cabinet Reshuffle". Burundi Réalités (Bujumbura). 15 November 2007. Archived from the original on 13 October 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  4. from the original on 21 February 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  5. ^ "REFILE-Burundi civil servants strike for pay raise". Reuters. Archived from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  6. ^ "The Commissioners". Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Burundi). Archived from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  7. from the original on 21 February 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Burundi: La composition du nouveau gouvernement". Burundi Africa Generation News. 10 November 2011. Archived from the original on 14 June 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  9. ^ a b "Commission de la population et du développement: l'expérience des pays dans la mise en œuvre du Programme d'action de la Conférence du Caire | Couverture des réunions & communiqués de presse" (in French). United Nations. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  10. ^ "Burundi: Des pluies avec grêlons détruises 56 maisons et des champs à Muramvya". Burundi Africa Generation News. 7 October 2014. Archived from the original on 18 June 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  11. ^ "Des obstacles importants entravent les efforts de prévention de la violence à l'encontre des femmes et des filles en Afrique, soulignent de nombreux ministres – Couverture des réunions & communiqués de presse". www.un.org (in French). Archived from the original on 12 December 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  12. ^ "Commission de la condition de la femme: les délégations soulignent l'amélioration de la participation des femmes à la vie publique et politique grâce aux quotas | Couverture des réunions & communiqués de presse" (in French). United Nations. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  13. from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  14. ^ "Burundi: 5 non burundais seront dans le Conseil Consultatif de la CVR". Burundi Africa Generation News. 14 March 2016. Archived from the original on 12 December 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  15. ^ "Polemic exhumations". IWACU English News. 3 June 2017. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2017.