Abortion taboo puts Burundi’s rape and incest survivors in danger

The organisation Solidarity for Burundian Women campaigns for decriminalizing abortion in certain circumstances. 

In Burundi, abortion is illegal except in cases where the mother’s life is endangered by the pregnancy. One Burundian health organisation has been campaigning for several months to legalise abortion in cases of rape or incest as well. While talking about abortion remains taboo, several women who had backstreet abortions shared their story with the Observers.

It’s impossible to know exactly how many Burundian women get illegal abortions each year, but the number is significant due to the restrictive anti-abortion laws in the country as well as the social and religious stigma for unwed mothers.

According to the Burundian penal code, abortion practitioners (or those who incite women to terminate their pregnancies) can face both prison time and large fines. The law also punishes women who undergo abortions: they can face up to two years in prison and fines of up to 50,000 Burundian francs (equivalent to roughly 28 euros — a significant amount when you consider that the average monthly revenue in Burundi is 18 euros). The only exception is when there is a “serious” risk to the mother’s health. In those cases, the abortion must be carried out by a medical doctor.

“Women can become sterile or die"

Joséphine Muhigirwa Ciza is a social worker and health advocate for the organisation Solidarity for Burundian Women, which is fighting for the decriminalization of abortion in certain circumstances.

Last year, we did a study in four different provinces in Burundi. According to our research, 93 percent of women who have abortions have back-street procedures. Abortion is a reality so it is better to decriminalize it in cases of incest, sexual violence or when there’s a risk to the mother’s mental, and not just physical, health.

“Certain women use chemical substances - like potassium – or chilis, which they insert into their vagina”

Women who undergo clandestine abortions have the procedure done at home or at the homes of local marabout healers. Healers usually charge 20,000 to 30,000 Burundian francs [equivalent to about 11 to 17 euros]. Some health professionals also conduct clandestine abortions, but they obviously can’t conduct them at a hospital. Their prices are also much higher — they often ask for more than 200,000 Burundian francs [equal to roughly 110 euros].

Clandestine abortions are often dangerous for women. The most common method is using medication… but, unlike at the hospital, the dosage is not always well administered. It is also common to insert sharp objects, like skewers, into a woman’s uterus. Certain women also use chemical substances - like potassium - or chilis, or even a manioc stalk, which they insert into their vagina or uterus in an attempt to abort the embryo.

Women often suffer complications from these abortions including infections and haemorrhages, which can be fatal. Women can also become sterile if, for example, their uterus is damaged by a sharp object.

Since 2014, the organisation Solidarity for Burundian Women has been campaigning to legalize abortion in certain cases.

“Hospitals and health centre only give girls birth control if they are married”

Often, women who have had clandestine abortions are extremely traumatised. Some of them come to see me because they need to talk and to be listened to, all the more so because, often, their families look down upon them. Abortion is still a taboo in Burundi…

One of the primary problems is that there is not enough access to contraception in Burundi. Some hospitals and health centres still do not give out condoms and will only give girls birth control if they are married. They tell girls to abstain and say that sex is only for married people.

“My brother gave me money so that I could get an abortion from a traditional healer”

Cynthia (not her real name), age 32, had an abortion in 2013. She was a victim of incest.

I realized that I was pregnant because I didn’t have my period for a month. My brother is the one who got me pregnant, so I couldn’t keep the baby. I told him that I was pregnant and that it was shameful so he gave me a little money so that I could get an abortion from a healer. I paid 20,000 Burundian francs for the procedure [equal to roughly 11 euros]. He gave me medicine, and I went back to my house that night.

That night, I had horrible stomach pains. Three days later, I expelled the embryo. But I also had heavy bleeding that lasted for two weeks. I couldn’t hide the bleeding from my family or the neighbours. I had to tell my family that I had undergone an abortion. It was incredibly shameful for them and several of my family members haven’t spoken to me since. I never told them that it was my brother’s fault. A year later, I went to see the Solidarity for Burundian Women organisation, because I needed to talk to someone about it so that I didn’t have to keep all that to myself.

“A classmate told me to put petrol and soap into my vagina”

Francine (not her real name) is 28. Several years ago, she was raped and had a clandestine abortion to terminate the ensuing pregnancy. Two years ago, she sought out psychological help from the Solidarity for Burundian Women organisation.

I was 15 when I was raped by two farmers as I was on my way home from working in the fields. I hadn’t had my period for two months, so I went to the hospital for tests. That’s how I found out I was pregnant.

When I was five months pregnant, I was thrown out of school. But I still put on my school uniform every morning and left the house at the same time so that my family wouldn’t know that I had been kicked out. They actually never found out.

I asked one of my classmates for help. She told me to put petrol from the gas lamps we use and powdered soap into my vagina. I did that one morning and I expelled the fetus that night. But I also started bleeding and vomiting and I had terrible diarrhoea. I was completely dehydrated.

While I was sick, my family asked me if I had an abortion and I told them no. But they didn’t believe me, so they kicked me out. I went to live with a friend of my mother’s, who took me in. The vomiting and diarrhoea lasted three days and I bled for a week. My mother’s friend went to speak to my family and they finally accepted that I return home a month later, after I apologised. But everyone has kept the entire ordeal a secret because it is very shameful.

In Africa, abortion has been decriminalised in four countries: South Africa, Tunisia, Cape Verde and Mozambique. Each year, an estimated 4 to 5 million women have clandestine abortions. An estimated 30,000 die from related complications.

Post written with France 24 journalist Chloé Lauvergnier (@clauvergnier).