Project profile — Preventing and Combating Sexual or Sexist Violence Against Children in Burkina Faso

• Burkina Faso (100.00%)

• Government And Civil Society, General: Ending violence against women and girls (15180) (100.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (significant objective)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (principal objective)
• Youth Issues (principal objective)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Nutrition (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

The project aims to reduce sexual and sexist violence among girls and boys in Burkina Faso, particularly in conflict-affected areas. The project will seek to increase the coordination and performance of key actors in the child protection system, such as state actors in the defense (military), security (police), social work, health, education, and justice sectors, and will aim to improve practices and increase the capacity of communities (community protection networks, civil society, and children) to prevent and respond to sexual and sexist violence. Project activities include: (1) developing and validating standardized and coordinated procedures for responding to sexual and sexist violence against children, especially girls, for involved state professionals (defence, security, social work, health, education and justice); (2) developing courses and training kits for state structures on the implementation of children's rights and the differentiated accompaniment of sexual and sexist violence against children; and (3) forming advisory committees of children, girls and boys, to support the implementation of the project and contribute to its governance.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) improved practices of state professionals in the targeted sectors (defence, security, social work, health, education, and justice) adapted to the rights of the child and the specific needs of girls in response to sexual and gender-based violence against girls and boys in Burkina Faso; and (2) increased community protection networks, civil society associations, and children, especially girls playing a greater role in preventing and responding to sexual and sexist violence against girls and boys.

Results achieved as of March 2023 include: (1) 58 girls feel equipped to express themselves in public after taking part in debate activities and role-playing. These activities focused on the development of key messages, the importance of non-verbal communication, public speaking and communication as a means of transforming the reality of the community; (2) 112 children who took part in project activities, including 69 girls, reported having strong skills to protect themselves and identify situations at risk regarding sexual and gender-based violence; and (3) 35 state professionals, including six women, from the targeted sectors (defense-military, security-police, social work, health, education and justice, etc.) reported knowing their role in the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence involving girls and boys. This, after having participated in the project's modus operandi activities.

• Proactive disclosure