The situation for children in Burkina Faso
The persistence of violence and attacks, along with the steadily worsening living conditions of households, is exposing children to increased risks of violence, abuse, sexual exploitation, school dropout, early marriage, and psychosocial distress in Burkina Faso.
In 2024, the Child Protection Area of Responsibility estimates that around 2 million children (52% of them girls) will be in need of protection.
However, the availability and access to child protection and psychosocial support services tailored to the most vulnerable children remain very limited.
Save the Children in Burkina Faso
Save the Children has been operating in Burkina Faso since 1982.
The organization currently works in eight regions (Centre, Centre-Nord, Nord, Sahel, Boucle du Mouhoun, Cascades, Est, and Sud-Ouest) to promote children’s rights through both programmatic interventions and advocacy initiatives.
Our 2025–2027 three-year strategy is structured around four strategic objectives :
Objective 1: Ensure sustainable access to quality, inclusive health and nutrition services ;
Objective 2: Strengthen the resilience of children, youth, families, and communities ;
Objective 3: Ensure children have access to safe, quality, and life-transforming education ;
Objective 4: Ensure children are protected, participate in decision-making, and hold duty bearers accountable.
Our work will urgently focus on children whose rights are being undermined by conflict and the climate crisis. In everything we do, we aim to advance gender equality and justice so that all children can fully enjoy their equal rights.
Our priorities include:
- Improving children’s participation and influence in decision-making bodies related to their rights ;
- Strengthening the technical and organizational capacities of stakeholders, including child and youth-led organizations, to deliver high-quality, child-rights–based programming ;
- Advancing digitalization and exploring artificial intelligence to enhance program impact ;
- Mobilizing and optimizing resources to reach and positively impact more children.
Armed men forced Samira,* 15, from her village in Burkina Faso during the violence sweeping Africa’s Sahel region. She and her family fled with nothing to start a new life in Yatenga province. Samira’s education was brutally curtailed – she was out of school for the next two years. Girls in this region of Burkina Faso are often forced into early marriage – a threat that hangs over Samira. But Samira is determined to continue her studies. She’s now enrolled in school and is hoping to take extra lessons to help her catch up. “I want to be successful,” she says. Adrien Bitibaly / Save the Children
GET IN TOUCH
Bureau pays (OUagadougou)
Zone du Bois, Rue Baor Ganga 13, secteur 22, Porte 265,
06BP 9038 Ouagadougou 06-Burkina Faso
E-mail: sc.bf@savethechildren.org
Save the Children Bobo-Dioulasso
Secteur 5 Rue 5.61 Porte66
01BP 2394 Bobo 01-Burkina Faso
Tel: (00226) 20 98 41 41
E-mail: sc.bobo@savethechildren.org
Save the Children Kaya
BP 172
Tel: (00226) 40 45 19 93
E-mail: sc.kaya@savethechildren.org
News & Stories
13 May 2024
Burkina Faso: Number of children facing emergency hunger levels set to surge fivefold as rainy season approaches
Around 1.4 million children in Burkina Faso are facing a hunger crisis.
21 Mar 2024
FIVE-FOLD INCREASE IN CHILDREN UPROOTED BY VIOLENCE IN WEST AFRICA’S CENTRAL SAHEL
Escalating violence has led to a five-fold surge in the number of children forced from their homes over the past five years in central Sahel.
7 Mar 2024
BURKINA FASO: Over 2,000 children diagnosed with suspected measles in nationwide outbreak
Over 2,000 children in Burkina Faso are suspected to have contracted measles