
{"id":4238,"date":"2020-03-30T09:53:57","date_gmt":"2020-03-30T09:53:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.nl\/?post_type=story&#038;p=4238"},"modified":"2021-06-15T12:28:50","modified_gmt":"2021-06-15T12:28:50","slug":"irwin","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.nl\/en\/stories\/irwin\/","title":{"rendered":"Irwin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"o-block-row o-wrapper u-padding-vertical-large o-content split_content alignfull\" id=\"split-content-block_5db71792d6b38\">\n\n  <div class=\"o-layout \">\n\n\n    \n      <div class=\"o-layout__item o-content u-1\/1 u-2\/3@tablet\">\n        \n        <div >\n          <p><em>Written by: Esther ten Zijthoff<\/em><br \/>\n<em>Edited by: Justice and Peace<\/em><br \/>\n<em>Photo: Paula Wielders<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cI wish I knew before what would happen. I would say, \u2018No, no, I don\u2019t want to get into activism.\u2019 That\u2019s the story.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Irwin Iradukunda (<u><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/IrwinIradukunda\">@IrwinIradukunda<\/a><\/u>) describes his foray into human rights activism in Burundi as almost unintentional. <em>\u201cI would say I landed there accidentally,\u201d<\/em> he says.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">He tells the story of one of his friends, a Burundian in Irwin\u2019s native city of Bujumbura, who was an artist. His friend began to face accusations of being a homosexual, based only on people\u2019s interpretations of his behaviour. In a country that has criminalised homosexuality and formerly denied its existence within the country altogether, such claims result in social pressure, harassment and ostracism.<span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><sup><a href=\"#_ftn1\" name=\"_ftnref1\">[1]<\/a><\/sup><\/strong><\/span> Ultimately, Irwin\u2019s friend had to flee the country, leaving behind his family and moving to Europe, where he remains to this day.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>\u201cThat particular event, that\u2019s when you really understand injustice and how it can actually affect someone\u2019s life,\u201d<\/em> Irwin recounts. The experience prompted him to begin volunteering at the very first community center in the Rohero district of Burundi in January 2011. He was 19 years old at the time. <em>\u201cThat\u2019s basically how it all started.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Now 27, Irwin has been working with NGOs and social entreprises for the past eight years. His work is multifaceted. As he puts it, \u201cmy profile is a bit diverse, but the work that I\u2019m doing on a daily basis is quite sensitive \u2013 especially in this country where human rights is not a language that people want to talk about.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Besides these organisations, Irwin also works with youth groups to address social issues. He supports a non-profit that works with street children which runs a \u2018Sunday meals\u2019 programme \u2013 providing not only necessary nourishment for impoverished youth but also a \u201cfun moment,\u201d sometimes dancing and providing other forms of respite from an often grim reality.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Irwin is also a contributing editor of <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/gp\/product\/B01AI9HJQU\/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_d_asin_title_o00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1\">Walking a Tightrope: Poetry and Prose from LGBTQ Writers in Africa<\/a><\/u>. He recounts how a friend of his once flew from the US to visit him in Burundi, and brought him a copy of the book. When she expressed amazement that he did not own a copy of his own book, Irwin replied: \u201cWhere should I get it?\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">As the second official employee of one of the LGBT organisations in Burundi, however, Irwin\u2019s journey has been heavily influenced by the work he does there.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><a href=\"#_ftnref1\" name=\"_ftn1\"><sup>[1]<\/sup><\/a> Homosexuality has been outlawed in Burundi <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/latest\/news\/2009\/04\/burundi-elimina-pena-muerte-prohibe-homosexualidad-20090427\/\">since 2009<\/a><\/u>, when it was made punishable by two to three years in prison and a fine of 50,000-100,000 Burundian francs (the equivalent of 24 to 48). Homosexual marriage is not recognised and is in fact banned in the Burundi Constitution.<\/span><\/p>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1168\" src=\"http:\/\/justiceandpeace.youngdigital.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/734951727-768x570.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"570\" srcset=\"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/734951727-768x570.jpg 768w, https:\/\/justiceandpeace.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/734951727-768x570-750x557.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n      <\/div>\n\n    \n    \n      <div class=\"o-layout__item o-content u-1\/1 u-1\/3@tablet\">\n\n        <div >\n          <div id=\"attachment_1179\" style=\"width: 595px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1179\" class=\"wp-image-1179 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.youngdigital.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/irwin-585x585.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"585\" height=\"585\" srcset=\"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/irwin-585x585.jpg 585w, https:\/\/justiceandpeace.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/irwin-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/justiceandpeace.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/irwin.jpg 798w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 585px) 100vw, 585px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1179\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Irwin from Burundi works on advocacy for human rights and social development in the areas of LGBTI and sex workers\u2019 in Africa. He works both locally and regionally to fight for these human rights. In 2009 homosexuality was criminalized in Burundi. Violation of article 567 of the Penal Code can lead to a sentence of two years in prison. In addition, since President Pierre Nkurunziza announced his controversial third term in April 2015, Burundi has plunged into a spiral of political violence and widespread human rights abuses.<\/p><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n      <\/div>\n\n    \n  <\/div>\n\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"o-wrapper u-padding-top content alignwide alignfull\" id=\"content-block_5e81bff28d3c8\">\n  <div class=\"o-layout\">\n    <div class=\"o-layout__item o-content u-1\/1 u-2\/3@tablet\">\n\n      <div >\n        \n        <div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"column-wrapper column-row fullwidth\">\n<div class=\"column content\">\n<h2 class=\"column-title\">A movement for the freedom of the individual<\/h2>\n<p>The organisation he has been working for is a movement geared at achieving justice and equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and intersexual persons. It is staffed entirely by Burundians, who work to document human rights violations and utilise this data to further research and advocacy on issues faced by sexual minorities in the region. Their programmes cover not only Burundi but also Rwanda and the DRC, where they support established groups \u2013 formal as well as informal \u2013 on capacity building as well as advocacy. The organisation partners with human rights mechanisms including the African Commission on Human and People\u2019s Rights as well as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.<\/p>\n<p>In Burundi, part of their work focuses on advocating for inclusivity and community input in social programming \u2013 for example, HIV programmes which are not always inclusive to marginalised groups such as LGBTQ individuals. To tackle discriminatory practises, it facilitates safe space events for groups working at the local level, often in rural areas of the country where people face significant socioeconomic challenges. Irwin highlights that when it comes to capacity building, it\u2019s not just about finding a way to share knowledge, but also finding a way to empower the next generation of activists.<\/p>\n<p>The goal of creating a safe environment for the LGBTQ community goes hand in hand with pushing the government to alter its stance on LGBTQ issues. Irwin recalls that when the organisation began, the government\u2019s official line was that there were no LGBTQ individuals in Burundi. After years of continuous pressure, the government position has shifted from denial to acknowledgement; however, there is still a ways to go before homosexuality is decriminalised. Irwin explains that early on in their organisation\u2019s life, they were accused of wanting to legalise same sex marriage. Irwin puts it soberly: <em>\u201cNo, that\u2019s not actually our intent, because you need to have a number of conditions in place.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n        \n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"o-wrapper u-padding-top content alignwide alignfull\" id=\"content-block_5e81c00f8d3c9\">\n  <div class=\"o-layout\">\n    <div class=\"o-layout__item o-content u-1\/1 u-2\/3@tablet\">\n\n      <div >\n        \n        <div class=\"section sectie-titel-4\">\n<div class=\"section-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"column-wrapper column-row fullwidth\">\n<div class=\"column content\">\n<h2 class=\"column-title\">Wading in a political quagmire<\/h2>\n<p>The government has long implemented a strategy of blaming Belgium for destabilising the country. It organises weekly demonstrations in the Bujumbura city center against Belgium specifically, and the European Union generally. They pay bicycle-taxi drivers to chant slogans and locals to attend protests. The government even provides transportation to these events. <em>\u201cIt\u2019s easy to find a scapegoat,\u201d<\/em> says Irwin. <em>\u201cThis is also one of the things that they are using to rule people, to make the people forget that things are happening. But it\u2019s not Belgium that is running this country. It\u2019s not Belgium that is not providing jobs for young people. It\u2019s not Belgium who is making people disappear.\u201d<\/em> Among the list of allegations directed at the former coloniser is that of promoting homosexuality in the Burundi. This has influenced the organisation\u2019s fundraising policies; it will not accept funding from Belgium because it will only serve as an excuse for the government to put added pressure on them.<\/p>\n<p>Similar accusations have also been directed at Rwanda, particularly that of backing anti-government sentiment and supporting the 2015 demonstrations. Burundians that fled to Rwanda during that time find themselves barred from returning. Most of them, Irwin describes, have been listed, \u201cso it is not safe to come back,\u201d as they would likely be arrested and accused of spying. Others fled to Tanzania and are now being pressured to return by the Tanzanian government, which has close ties with the current ruling power in Burundi. Irwin notes that \u201cthey both have bad records in terms of human rights.\u201d The government claims it will be safe for them to return, while Tanzania has closed camps to pressure them to do so.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cI really think that the more you try to understand what is going on in Burundi, the more you may go crazy,\u201d<\/em> comments Irwin. <em>\u201cBecause sometimes I wonder, are we even conscious of where we came from? And why we are putting so much effort and time to replicate the bad history that we had? It\u2019s the same thing that is happening again, but it has another name.\u201d<\/em> Perhaps Irwin says it best when he sums up the current situation as \u201cvery complicated.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"section sectie-titel-9\">\n<div class=\"section-wrapper\"><span id=\"sectie-titel-9\" class=\"anchor\"><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"column-wrapper column-row fullwidth\">\n<div class=\"column image\">\n<div class=\"image-column-wrapper\">\n<div id=\"attachment_4243\" style=\"width: 760px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4243\" class=\"wp-image-4243 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.youngdigital.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Burundi-South-Africa.-1023x500-1-750x367.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"367\" srcset=\"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Burundi-South-Africa.-1023x500-1-750x367.jpg 750w, https:\/\/justiceandpeace.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Burundi-South-Africa.-1023x500-1-768x375.jpg 768w, https:\/\/justiceandpeace.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Burundi-South-Africa.-1023x500-1.jpg 1023w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4243\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Burundi<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n        \n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"o-wrapper u-padding-top content alignwide alignfull\" id=\"content-block_5e81c0638d3ca\">\n  <div class=\"o-layout\">\n    <div class=\"o-layout__item o-content u-1\/1 u-2\/3@tablet\">\n\n      <div >\n        \n        <h2 class=\"column-title\">Civil society as defiance<\/h2>\n<p>While defending the rights of LGBTQ individuals is particularly contentious in Burundi, Irwin explains that this is not the heart of the issue. While this is a country where <em>\u201csexuality itself is taboo\u201d<\/em> and homosexuality is criminalised, the very act of speaking out as civil society is itself an act of defiance.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cAt this particular moment, the issue is not working on LGBT issues. The actual issue that we have is around the civil space and also what it means for you as an activist to be doing human rights works in a country that actually represses human rights workers and human rights organisations.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Ultimately, Irwin adds, it doesn\u2019t truly matter whether someone is LGBTQ or not because \u201cmost of the time people are arbitrarily arrested under presumption or assumption\u201d and \u201cthat alone is being used more and more to harass, to detain, but also to threaten the people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The ground in Burundi is not yet fertile for this kind of work. \u201cOrganisations that are working on civil and political rights, they are actually being targeted as organisations, but also as individuals, because their work also relates to governance, democracy \u2013 which is not the thing that they want you to talk about. You get in trouble for working on civil and political rights, but also if you work on women\u2019s rights or if you have a specific focus on issues around sexual violence and rape. That\u2019s also a sensitive issue because the people that are accused for such exactions are either the youth wing of the ruling party or people in the government \u2013 the police, the army; that\u2019s a known issue, that you don\u2019t need to bring to the table if you live here or if you want to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cI would say we shake tables because we confront the government and police. You are saying to the government, \u2018You are lying\u2019.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"column-wrapper column-row fullwidth\">\n<div class=\"column content\">\n<h2 class=\"column-title\">Overcoming obstacles<\/h2>\n<p>The non-profit has had to take measures to be able to carry out its work in a country where the issues it tackles are considered controversial and sometimes downright undesirable. In 2015, amidst the political unrest<span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><a href=\"#_ftn1\" name=\"_ftnref1\"><sup>[2]<\/sup><\/a><\/span> that unfolded in the run-up to the presidential elections at the time, Irwin\u2019s organisation made the choice to register as a social enterprise. This means they are covered under trade laws which make it more difficult to freeze their organisational and personal bank accounts \u2013 a common tactic carried out by the government to shut down NGO \u201con the grounds that they are causing trouble,\u201d as Irwin describes. With this comes an added financial burden, as social enterprises are required to pay additional taxes. Despite the added difficulties, the organisation regarded it a necessary step to defend not only their own work but also that of the organisations they support. \u201cWe also host some funding for the other organisations because they have actually been denied to register on the grounds of supporting LGBT rights but also \u2018being homosexuals\u2019 and \u2018promoting immorality in the country.\u2019 So they are not registered, but they do operate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The government pressure on NGOs, which are often viewed with suspicion of potentially furthering foreign and\/or anti-government agendas in the precarious political climate that is Burundi, is exacerbated by the political tension currently plaguing the country. As a means to secure control, the government cracks down on dissenting voices while simultaneously endorsing groups that complement its own agenda. \u201cThere is a new breed of organisations that are either endorsed by the ruling party or affiliated somehow with the ruling party, so if you are not amongst them that means it\u2019s just crazy to operate.\u201d The situation this creates is that there are organisations that \u201ccannot denounce some human rights violations because they are affiliated to the ruling party.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Irwin\u2019s work does not come without its risks. Last year, seven LGBTIQ individuals were arrested, during a peer-education activity. Irwin explains that at the time, \u201cwe were being quite visible.\u201d The organisation was in the midst of an educational public outreach campaign promoting safe sex behaviours and awareness about HIV. They also began working on a case where someone had been detained without legal process, and their staff were \u201cgoing to the police, trying to release them or have a legal procedure because sometimes they can arrest you and hold you in jail just like that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>They began facing harassment from police officers, which culminated in arrests. These were \u201cjustified\u201d by allegations that the staff had been in breach of a policy imposed by the authorities since 2015, where households are obligated to have a \u2018cahier de m\u00e9nage\u2019 (household booklet) which holds the names of all people living in a particular residence. \u201cPolice could go around checking the registry and if your name is not there, then they arrest you or extort money from you. So you are not supposed to be at someone\u2019s house unless it\u2019s during business hours.\u201d This form of strict social control was initially aimed at cracking down on those suspected to be behind the anti-government demonstration taking place at the time. Irwin puts it succinctly: \u201cYou cannot hide in Burundi, that\u2019s it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With heavy-handed repression comes a culture of impunity for those in power and their affiliates, Irwin describes. \u201cI would say the actual human rights violations are being perpetrated by the youth wing of the ruling party because there is this endorsement or impunity that comes with it, of \u2018we are with the ruling party so we can do whatever we want.\u2019 But there are also cases that are perpetrated by the police or the intelligence service \u2013 like the case of many activists. The people who are harassing us\u2026it would be easier for instance if they would come to my house in a police car and arrest me, but that\u2019s a privilege. Instead, they anonymously threaten you or harass you because of the authority of the power that they have.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><a href=\"#_ftnref1\" name=\"_ftn1\"><sup>[2]<\/sup><\/a> In the runup to the 2015 presidential elections, opposition leader Zedi Feruzi was targeted and killed, prompting political opposition to standing President Nkurunziza to flee the country and waves of protests that were aggressively shut down. Since then, repression of real and believed opposition has been rampant. As the 2020 election approaches, there are fears that similar events will take place as in 2015 despite President Nkurunziza\u2019s promise that he would not seek another term in 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-4248\" src=\"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.youngdigital.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/THTC_004-768x570-1-750x557.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"557\" srcset=\"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/THTC_004-768x570-1-750x557.jpg 750w, https:\/\/justiceandpeace.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/THTC_004-768x570-1.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n        \n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"o-wrapper u-padding-top content alignwide alignfull\" id=\"content-block_5e81c13d8d3cb\">\n  <div class=\"o-layout\">\n    <div class=\"o-layout__item o-content u-1\/1 u-2\/3@tablet\">\n\n      <div >\n        \n        <h2 class=\"column-title\">An ominous barometer reading<\/h2>\n<p>Mounting pressure and outright harassment have taken their toll on Irwin. He recalls that he was at a gathering with fellow activists from across East Africa in 2017 \u2013 a group that calls itself the \u2018East African Collective\u2019 and meets twice a year to collaborate on advocacy projects. A friend pointed out that he looked tired, perhaps in need of some time off, and told him to look into Justice and Peace Netherlands\u2019 Shelter City Programme. Irwin applied, and was accepted in April 2018. From the end of April until mid-July 2018, Irwin left Burundi behind for Maastricht in the Netherlands. <em>\u201cI was lucky I went in summer,\u201d<\/em> he comments. <em>\u201cI remember the friends that I got there would say, it\u2019s so hot today! And I was like, \u2018You need to come to Burundi to understand what heat is\u2019.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>After only a few months away, and with full knowledge of the pressures that would once again face him when he returned, Irwin chose to return to Bujumbura. The decision to do so, he says, <em>\u201chas to do more with me as a person, but also as a Burundian. Because I was born and raised here in Bujumbura\u2026during that time it was quite hard for me, because you see messages and people that you know are being killed or shot dead. There is a level of harm that it does to you. So I was like, \u2018at least let me receive these news while in Burundi.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Irwin\u2019s love for his own country has been a strong motivator for his return. \u201cEven when in East Africa, I am going around saying, \u2018I need to go back home.\u2019 Because the people there are not so hospitable or willing to talk to a stranger and have random stories, like in Burundi. We are that kind of people. There is a lot of social chit chat in Burundi.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Since he has been back in his home country, however, the now familiar pressures have returned. Under continued harassment and threats, Irwin does not enjoy freedom of movement in his native city, mentally and physically. \u201cOne of the things that I really miss is to walk around,\u201d he says. \u201cBecause this is not possible for me, to just have a normal life, go around, walking on the street, taking the bus\u2026Internally, it drains you as well, because\u2026 I will not say that I am living in an open prison, but it\u2019s like that, because I cannot interact with people as much as I should.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe reason why I\u2019m still here? I would say, you see how much you have been losing, so you tell yourself there is no way to go back because otherwise your efforts would have been in vain. And you know, there is discrimination, but also the relationship that you have with your family; they actually make you think twice.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cI wish I knew before what would happen. I would say, \u2018No, no, I don\u2019t want to get into activism.\u2019 That\u2019s the story.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>But rather than regarding it a form of respite, Irwin laments he may be forced to leave again.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt this particular moment,\u201d he says, \u201cI am also tired because I have been convincing myself: \u2018You should stay a bit.\u2019 But since we are going next year to the presidential elections and things may be as tough as they were in 2015, I think this is my last year here.\u201d While the security situation is a main motivator for the move, Irwin adds that \u201cit is also linked to the fact that I think my time is now done, because at my organisation I was actually employee number two. I think it\u2019s my time to go to something else.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The organisation, too, is preparing to move its offices to Rwanda or the DRC in anticipation of upcoming turbulence. After years of being under scrutiny and having often been subject to police raids of their offices, the organisation already has a \u2018light office,\u2019 and the move would not be overly difficult.<\/p>\n<p>Through all the sacrifices and suffering Irwin and his fellow activists and advocates have undergone, he admits that it is often hard to see progress. As he puts it: \u201cYou feel like you are powerless despite the situation that is happening, that nothing is really changing.\u201d But the sober reality does not diminish his devotion to Burundi in the least.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cI really love this place. And if we have peace, stability, I would never want to move from Burundi, ever.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n        \n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>forging a space for civil society in Burundi<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"story_category":[33],"class_list":["post-4238","story","type-story","status-publish","hentry","story_category-shelter-city-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Irwin - Justice &amp; Peace Netherlands<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.nl\/en\/stories\/irwin\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Irwin, forging a space for civil society in Burundi\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"forging a space for civil society in Burundi\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.nl\/en\/stories\/irwin\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Justice &amp; 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