Strengthening the Local Capacity to Promote Respect for Humanitarian Standards in Burkina Faso
12 May 2025From April 29 to 30, 2025, the IHL Centre organised a training session in Ouagadougou on IHL and Human Rights. This initiative is part of a programme implemented by Diakonia Burkina Faso.
The event brought together members of civil society from Burkina Faso, including representatives from the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) and the Interministerial Committee on Human Rights (CIMDH), which provided technical expertise on civilian protection and respect for human rights.
The objective of this training was to familiarize participants with international humanitarian law, highlighting its complementarity with international human rights law, while focusing on the particular standards protecting women, children, and humanitarian actors. The initiative also aimed to promote effective advocacy to protect vulnerable populations and create a space for discussion, adapted to local realities, fostering dialogue and the sharing of experiences.
Over two days, participants shared their experiences in the field while strengthening their understanding of the legal norms applicable in crisis situations. This activity is part of the IHL Centre’s broader efforts to enhance the capacity of local actors in the Sahel region, through a better understanding of protection standards.
KEY CONTRIBUTIONS:
- Christiane Nikiemar, Coordinator with the Association of Women Lawyers of Burkina Faso: As the coordinator, the training helped improve my knowledge of IHL and humanitarian action, enhancing our interventions in care infrastructure and guiding our lawyers in their fieldwork.
- Moussa Bellem, Secretary General of the Association of Leaders for Human Rights Education and Development: The knowledge gained through this training will enable me improve our own awareness raising sessions, by using the very interesting practical case studies covered during the training. As an organization, this will help us to better direct our future activities and design projects on these topics.
