Orphanhood and Child Vulnerability: Burundi

Impact of orphanhood on schooling and child labour in Burundi

By: Guarcello L, Lyon S & Rosati F
Produced by: Understanding Children's Work (UCW) & Innocenti Research Centre, 2004

This country briefing paper explores the effect of orphanhood and fostering on child vulnerability in Burundi. The paper concludes that orphanhood increases child vulnerability in two ways: it is much more likely that a child is denied schooling and much more likely that a child is exposed to the dangers of work. In particular, the paper finds that:

• Becoming a single orphan reduces of probability of attending school full-time by 11 percentage points, and of attending school in combination with work by almost four percentage points. Also the death of one parent makes it six percentage points more likely that a child works full-time in economic activity and almost nine percentage points more likely that a children falls into the economically inactive category
• The loss of both parents has an even greater effect on school attendance and work. Compared to non-orphans, double orphans are 14 percentage points less likely to attend school full-time, and eight percentage points less likely to attend school in combination with work. Most of these children leaving school appear to move to the economically inactive category rather than to the category of full-time work. Becoming a double orphan has an insignificant effect on the likelihood of full-time involvement in work
• Becoming a foster child, on the other hand, does not have a significant effect on the likelihood that a child attends school or works.