Ouagadougou – On Thursday 23 May 2024, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with the Regional Coordination of Women in the North Region and the Regional Directorate of Culture, organised a community mobilisation and dialogue day in Ouahigouya, together with a cultural gathering to promote social cohesion and living together in the North Region, as well as to strengthen and highlight the role of women in peace initiatives.

The event was marked by a dialogue session between community leaders, including traditional chiefs and youth and women’s organisations, on women’s involvement and role in preventing and managing community conflicts. More than 300 participants from various groups and civil society organisations took part in this event. At the end of the dialogue session, participants made a number of recommendations aimed at strengthening women’s leadership and role in promoting social cohesion.

A space for cultural and artistic activities and exhibitions of craft and culinary products was also organised to showcase cultural diversity during the event at the Youth and Culture Centre.

Officially launching the activities, the High Commissioner for the Passoré Province, Mr Daouda Sangaré, representing the North Region Governor, said: “This is an initiative that we support, because it is in line with the Government’s priorities, and contributes to achieving the objectives of the national strategy for national reconciliation and social cohesion.”

IOM Chief of Mission in Burkina Faso, Ms Aïssatou Guissé Kaspar, honoured the day with her presence, along with the local authorities, to prove the organisation’s commitment to communities.

“Today, we are working alongside national authorities to empower women and improve their access to education, health, drinking water and other basic services. We should also ensure that women actively participate in decision-making processes at all levels, and that they are strongly represented in all governance bodies and in peace building as well as development issues and initiatives.”

According to Djénéba Sodré/Sangarba, Regional Coordinator for Women in the North, “the event, which mobilized women around customary and administrative authorities, enabled us to demonstrate our readiness as women to contribute to peacebuilding, and also to maintain social cohesion and peace between the various communities”, she said.

The event was organized as part of the “Strengthening women’s empowerment and resilience to promote peace and social cohesion in the North and Sahel regions of Burkina Faso” project, implemented by IOM with funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

Since 2015, the security situation in Burkina Faso has deteriorated severely, leading to population movements. As of 31 March 2023, the number of displaced persons registered in the North region amounted to more than 218,695, according to the National Council for Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation (Conseil national de secours d’urgence et de réhabilitation -CONASUR), the majority of whom are women.

Through this project, IOM and its partners contribute to addressing challenges related to peace and social cohesion, with a focus on the economic empowerment of women in an effort to strengthen their resilience in conflict situations.

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For more information, please contact:

Digré Laurent Guittey, IOM Burkina Faso, LGUITTEY@iom.int

Ousmane Niang, IOM Burkina Faso, ouniang@iom.int