Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105) - Burundi (Ratification: 1963)

Article 1(b) of the Convention. Compulsory civic service for purposes of economic development. In its previous comments, the Committee noted that sections 2 and 8 of Legislative Decree No. 1/005 of 1 December 1996 establishing compulsory civic service provide that civic service consists of unpaid compulsory service for the State in areas of public interest or development. It also noted that Ministerial Ordinance No. 520/003 of 6 January 1997 concerning the organization of compulsory civic service in relation to national defence, and Legislative Decree No. 1/013 of 31 October 1997 issuing regulations governing persons engaged in compulsory civic service in the field of national defence, contain similar provisions. The Committee noted the Government’s indication that compulsory civic service has been discontinued since 2002 and that recruitment into the defence forces is voluntary. It asked the Government to align the legislation with the practice indicated. The Committee notes with regret that the Government has once again not provided any information on this subject. Therefore, the Committee once again requests the Government to take the necessary measures to align the legislation with the practice indicated, either by repealing the above texts or by removing the provisions setting out the compulsory nature of these types of civic service. It requests the Government to provide information on the progress made in this regard.