Play: A Fundamental Right to Celebrate Every Day

Bujumbura, 11 June 2025. On the occasion of the second edition of the International Day of Play, celebrated this year under the theme “Choose play – every day”, UNICEF Burundi highlights the critical role of play in the overall development of children, especially in contexts of displacement and increased vulnerability.

This year’s commemoration comes as approximately 70,000 people have entered Burundi since the beginning of 2025, fleeing the ongoing armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Among them, 53% are children, many of whom have witnessed or experienced violence, family separation, or forced displacement. A multisectoral response is therefore essential, including the provision of safe, protective, and enabling spaces where children can thrive.

At the same time, many Burundian children are currently living in internally displaced persons (IDP) sites, after being forced to flee their homes due to floods caused by the El Niño phenomenon, which has severely affected infrastructure, housing, and other living spaces.

In such crisis contexts, children are often deprived of safe spaces to play. Yet play is not merely a recreational activity; it is a fundamental right enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and is essential to children's physical, psychological, and social well-being.

This is why UNICEF Burundi, in collaboration with local NGOs such as Social Action for Development (SAD), works every day to ensure that refugee, displaced, and vulnerable children have equitable and inclusive access to safe play spaces.

“Play allows children to regain a sense of normalcy in disrupted environments. It helps them heal, build connections, and learn. All children—including those who are refugees or displaced—must be able to play safely, learn, and grow in nurturing environments. This is our collective responsibility,” said France Bégin, UNICEF Representative in Burundi.

This International Day of Play also aligns with Parenting Month, serving as a timely reminder of the crucial role parents and families play in creating environments that support play, even in challenging circumstances. Through play, parents can strengthen emotional bonds, support their children's learning, and contribute to their overall development and well-being.

UNICEF Burundi calls on all partners, government institutions, local communities, NGOs, and humanitarian actors to strengthen access to play for every child. This includes setting up safe and child-friendly spaces in refugee camps and IDP sites; integrating play into child protection, education, and mental health programmes; and supporting families in creating play opportunities, even with limited resources.

Together, let us protect this fundamental right. Even in times of crisis, children need to laugh, play, create, and dream—for this is how they grow and develop.