While the world celebrates the population day, the figures show that the number of Burundians increases day by day. Effective measures need to be taken to reduce the demographic growth.
The number of Burundians significantly increases year by year
Nicolas Ndayishimiye, Director of Burundi Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies-ISTEEBU says the number of Burundians is now estimated at between 11, 5 million and 12 million. “Considering the population estimates in 2018, Burundians are now 11,772, 322. Three million people have added to the existing number of population after ten years”, says Ndayishimiye.
He says that the census of the population is conducted after ten years. “We were supposed to conduct another census in 2018 but the member states of the East African community decided to carry it out together in 2022,” he says adding that the last census was conducted in 2008.
Following the demographic growth, ISTEEBU director urges Burundians to practice birth control. “Each family must have a limited number of children,” he says.
Richmond Tiemoko, UNFPA representative in Burundi says Burundi has made a significant improvement in the demographic growth and health issues. “Married women using contraceptive methods have moved from 9% in 1997 to 22% in 2010,” he says adding that they were at 29% in 2016.
He, however, says there are unsatisfied needs which have remained high and stagnant at 31% since 2010. “The figures show that there are some women who wish to use birth control but their partners don’t want to use contraceptive methods,” he says. Tiemoko also says there are other issues that need to be tackled including the inaccessibility to quality services, lack of accessibility to health services, fight against social discrimination, lack of communication between parents and children on sex…
The UNFPA representative urges Burundi government to do whatever it takes to solve all these challenges in accordance with the 2020 family planning and the international conference on the populace and development. “The success will make it possible for the country to benefit from the demographic shares through family planning,” he says.
Richmond Tiemoko also says UNFPA will always support countries which fight for the respect of individual rights notably women’s involvement in family planning.
According PARCEM, a local organization involved in mentality change, Burundi has a population density of more than 350 inhabitants per km2 over an area of 27,834 km2. The fertility rate is six children per woman and the population growth rate is close to 3% with more than 1000 births a day.
IWACU Open Data
