A pregnant or breastfeeding woman is imprisoned if she is accused of a
criminal act or deed. In Burundi, if the child is not older than 3
years, it is in the best interests of the child to remain with the
mother in prison.Prison is used as a place of accommodation and not as a
place of detention for the child. In accordance with the provisions of
international and domestic legal instruments, the child may leave the
prison and enter it as he or she wishes, accompanied by prison social
workers.Pre- and post-natal care must be provided both inside and
outside prison. Births should take place in hospitals. However, this is
not always respected, as in the case of Mpimba. The health of these
children, as well as that of infants, is ensured by the health centres
set up in the central prisons and are referred to nearby hospitals when
necessary. It has been noted that the food provided from the State
subsidy budget does not meet the health requirements of infants.The
clothing of the babies is left to the imprisoned mothers who have no
income. The state does not even provide them with the beauty oil they
need for their body health.