Skip to main content
Project

Responding to sexual violence against adolescents in Burkina Faso for the respect of their sexual and reproductive rights
 

Burkina Faso
Project ID
109014
Total Funding
CAD 650,000.00
IDRC Officer
Marie-Gloriose Ingabire
Project Status
Active
End Date
Duration
36 months

Programs and partnerships

Maternal and Child Health

Lead institution(s)

Project leader:
Nathalie Sawadogo
Burkina Faso

Summary

Sexual violence is one of the key issues and research areas for adolescent reproductive health in West Africa. In Burkina Faso, sexual violence is a recurring phenomenon that leaves adolescent and young women particularly vulnerable.Read more

Sexual violence is one of the key issues and research areas for adolescent reproductive health in West Africa. In Burkina Faso, sexual violence is a recurring phenomenon that leaves adolescent and young women particularly vulnerable. The reproductive health services currently in place are generally weak in their response to sexual violence against women. There are many inconsistencies between the country’s political and legislative mechanisms in terms of protecting vulnerable groups and there is a near total absence of tangible results in the field.

This project, implemented by Université Ouaga 1 Professeur Joseph Ki-Zerbo and the Communauté d’action pour la promotion de la santé sexuelle et reproductive au Burkina Faso, is part of the global agenda to improve the health of and increase respect of the sexual and reproductive rights of adolescents in Burkina Faso. The project aims to produce an integrated response model for sexual violence that takes into account adolescents' sexual health and reproductive rights in terms of access to legal assistance and adequate sexual health and reproductive services in Burkina Faso.

The project will simultaneously act on various fronts, including building awareness (communication for behaviour change) and providing adequate health services and legal and judicial assistance for victims of sexual violence. The project will thus contribute to a better understanding, by all stakeholders, of sexual violence against adolescents and to a collective identification of the consequences of this violence and responses to it. The project will develop the capacities of young people, communities, and multi-sectoral actors, and it will promote behavioural change and closer collaboration between these stakeholders to better prevent sexual violence and provide integrated and effective care for victims.