Following the formation of Artikel 1 party, which was set up to defend equality, emancipation and social justice for all residents of the Netherlands, a transgender candidate born in Burundi is standing as a candidate in the Dutch general elections.

According to Ceoafrica, Olave Basabose fled Burundi as a young child but her family and friends are still there.

She said during an interview that she still has deep and strong ties with Burundi and has kept in touch with Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) activists there.

She added that “the situation in Burundi fills me with anger, sometimes, pain, often, and hope, always. The emergence of a young, politically conscious and ethnically united movement for progress, democracy and development gives me hope.

Olave said further that “I think that Burundi has real hopes, as long as we think in a unified way, as long as we are in solidarity, as long as we fight for democracy, as long as we aim for progress, as long as we hope together.

Olave Basabose trained as a corporate lawyer in the Netherlands and has been working there to protect the rights of sexual minorities, in which her experience as a black transgender person in the Netherlands has been problematic and is part of the reason why political activism has become important to her.