Gender Equality in Burkina Faso

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Burkina_Faso
flag_Burkina_Faso.png
Flag of Burkina_Faso
Population (in Mil.) 16.97
Gross Domestic Product (In USD Billions - WB) 10.40
Sex Ratio (m/f) 0.99
Life Expectancy Ratio (f/m) 1.05
Fertility Rate 6.14
Income Ratio (f/m) 0.66
Literacy Ratio (f/m) 0.59
Tertiary Enrolment Ratio (f/m) 0.31
Women in Parliament (in %) 11.7
INDICES
Human Development Index 181/169
Social Institutions and Gender Index 70/86
Gender Inequality Index - /138
Gender Equity Index 107/157
Women’s Economic Opportunity Index 102/113
Global Gender Gap Index 111/134
More information on variables

Contents

In the news

Social Institutions

Burkina Faso gained independence from France in 1960.[1] The country is politically stable, but very poor and with limited natural resources and many Burkinabe migrates each year to work in neighbouring countries.[2]

The position of women in Burkinabe society remains low, despite government commitment and a policy and legal framework. Significant gaps remain within this legislation,[3] and between these laws and daily reality. In many situations, both the Family Code and the Penal Code are disregarded by society and by the authorities in favour of customary law that uphold practices that discriminate against women, particularly in rural areas.[4]

Article 1 of the 1991 Constitution (revised in 2002) states that all citizens of Burkina Faso are equal, and outlaws discrimination based on gender.[5] The country has also ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All forms off Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), including the Optional Protocol,[6] and the 2003 Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (in 2006).[7] Since 1997 there has been a dedicated Minister for Women, and 2004 saw the adoption of a National Policy for the Promotion of Women (Politique Nationale de promotion de la Femme).[8] In addition the government of Burkina Faso has embarked on a process of mainstreaming gender into sector policies and programmes.[9]

According to the World Bank, Burkina Faso is classed as a low-income country.[10] The Human Development Index (HDI) ranking for Burkina Faso in 2011 is 0.311, which gives the country a rank of 181 out of 187 ranked countries. [11] The country’s Gender Inequality Index score is 0.596, placing it at 121 out of 146 countries with data.[12]In the Global Gender Gap Index 2011 Burkina Faso ranked 115th out of 135 countries with a score of 0.6153.[13]

Discriminatory Family Code

1989 Family Code sets the minimum legal age for marriage at 17 years for girls and 20 for boys, but permits marriage from the age of 15 years for girls under special (unspecified) circumstances.[14] In practice, there is a high incidence of early marriage: according to Demographic and Health Survey data held by the UN, in 2003 32.2 % of girls aged 15 to 19 were married, divorced or widowed.[15]

Under Burkinabe criminal and civil law, forced marriage is illegal.[16] Despite this, many families continue to force their daughters into marriage,[17] although information as to prevalence rates is not available.

The Family Code permits polygamy, but only where the first wife agrees before the wedding that the marriage will be polygamous.[18] Levirate marriage is forbidden by law in Burkina Faso, but is still practised.[19] Under this custom, widows are obliged to marry a brother of their deceased husband in order to retain custody of their male children; otherwise, custody of sons automatically transfers to the family of the deceased.[20]

At articles 235, 236, and 304 Burkina Faso’s Family Code states that spouses are equal partners, gives mothers and fathers equal share in parental authority, and stipulates the same obligations and responsibilities in relation to their children.[21] In the event of divorce, child custody is awarded to the parent who can provide the best care.[22]In practice, custody of children under the age of seven is most often granted to the mother.[23] The 2009 report to the CEDAW committee contains the observation that (in the context of domestic violence), ‘the preferred strategy of the judicial authorities and legal advisory services (social services, Ministry for the Advancement of Women, NGOs and associations) is mediation, because the separations that follow domestic violence are mostly disadvantageous for the woman’,[24] indicating that women’s rights – and wellbeing – in the event of divorce are compromised.

In the matter of inheritance, widows and female children have a legal right to inherit property under articles 742-744 of the Family Code; however this is widely disregarded in favour of customary law, which grants no right of inheritance to widows or minor children.[25] According to custom, the family of the deceased often claims rights to the couple’s possessions, leaving the widow in an extremely precarious situation.[26] This often means that widows are unable to retain custody of their children, because they cannot provide for them.[27] Levirate – the practice whereby widows are forced to marry their late husband’s brother or another male relative – still occurs in some regions.[28] Girls are expected to cede land that they have inherited to their brothers.[29]

Restricted Physical Integrity

There are no specific laws in place in Burkina Faso pertaining to domestic violence.[30] Comprehensive legislation in relation to rape is in place, but this does not recognise spousal rape and is poorly implemented.[31] There is no legal framework in place to deal with sexual harassment.[32] The penal code does provide specific protection to girls from violence in schools.[33] A study conducted in 2006 in two regions of Burkina Faso found that 34 % of women respondents had experienced ‘physical cruelty’, while 28.5 % reported that they had been victims of ‘assault and battery’.[34]

There have also been cases of women who have been sexually assaulted being accused of witchcraft and banished from their villages, although this is something that is now-being addressed through a series of public forums.[35] Few cases of violence against women make it to the courts, partly as a result of women fearing the consequences of court action, and because of a lack of legal aid.[36] The state offers limited support to victims of domestic violence, through reception, advisory and guidance services for women whose rights have been violated; otherwise, such support is offered from NGOs with limited resources.[37]

FGM was criminalised in Burkina Faso in 1996, and there have been a series of campaigns against the practice since then.[38] The country is one of the few in the region to have prosecuted perpetrators under legislation banning FGM.[39] In a report published in 2005 drawing on DHS data for 2003, UNICEF recorded that 77 % of Burkinabe women aged 15-49 had been subjected to FGM, with no significant discrepancy between urban and rural areas (75 % in urban areas and 77 % in rural areas); of these, 32 % had at least one daughter who had also undergone FGM.[40] This survey indicated that FGM prevalence varies according to the mother’s level of education: 33.7 % of women who had no education, and 27.3 % of women with only primary education had at least one daughter who had undergone the procedure, while 9.8 % of women with secondary education or higher had a daughter who had been cut.[41] A national action plan for 2009-2013 is in place, calling for ‘Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation’.[42] Drawing on data from the National Committee to Combat the Practice of Excision, the 2009 report to the CEDAW committee states that while FGM is now a declining trend, the age at which girls are subjected to the procedure is falling, with the procedure often being performed on very young babies.[43] Overall, of women questioned for the survey, 17 % believed that the practice should continue.[44]

Legislation is in place granting the right to reproductive health; in addition, a national strategic plan is in place to secure the supply of contraceptives for the period 2005 – 2015.[45] However, contraceptive use is low, with only 13.8 % of women reporting to use any form of contraception (including ‘traditional’ methods) in the 2003 DHS;[46] figures provided in the 2009 CEDAW report are slightly higher.[47] Despite the existence of a national family planning policy (adopted in 2004)[48] which guarantees access to contraception to all women, doctors will only provide contraceptives to women who have written permission from their husbands.[49] This control of husbands over women’s access to reproductive health care extends to access to health services; again according to DHS data from 2003, 74.9 % of married women questioned reported that their husbands made decisions about their health without consulting them.[50] The need to travel considerable distances to access health services is another factor limiting access to reproductive and other health services for rural women.[51] Abortion is only legal in cases of foetal impairment, rape or incest, or to protect the pregnant woman’s life.[52]

Son Bias

Child malnutrition rates are high for both boys and girls in Burkina Faso, and DHS data would indicate that in this regard, boys rather than girls are worse affected. Using data taken from the 2003 DHS for Burkina Faso, the UNECA’s African Women Report 2009 concludes that rates of stunting and malnutrition are slightly lower among female children than among male children – 46.8 % of boys and 43.2 % of girls under three were stunted, while 43.3 % of boys and 39.4 % of girls were underweight.[53] According to data from the 2003 DHS, 74.1% of women aged 20-24 had never been to school, compared to 57.9% of men in the same age bracket.[54] While these figures must be considered in the context of high rates of poverty and malnutrition, and low rates of access to education in general, this would indicate that Burkina Faso is not a country of concern in terms of son preference in regard to early childhood, but is in regard to access to education.

According to the Central Intelligence Agency the male/female sex ratio for the total population in 2012 is 0.99.[55] There is no evidence to suggest that Burkina Faso is a country of concern in regard to missing women.

Restricted Resources and Entitlements

Women in Burkina Faso face numerous restrictions in relation to ownership rights, despite the existence of state policies aimed at ensuring fair access to land for the entire rural population[56] and the fact that the law grants men and women equal rights to ownership.[57] In part, this is due to the fact that inheritance is the primary means of accessing land, and as outlined above, women’s right to inherit is often violated.[58] Where women do own, or work land, they may not have equal access to appropriate training, equipment, or agricultural extension services, reducing the productivity and income from their land.[59]

Women’s access to land is more restricted in rural areas, as customary law is more likely to be applied. Customary law provides that land is allocated by the chief and only men can be chiefs. Women do not have direct land rights, but access land through husbands and male relatives. Every man has a duty to marry and allocate his wife a piece of land for her own agricultural activities.[60]

Women are at a disadvantage in regard to access to bank loans in that formal financial institutions consider women “high-risk “applicants as they often do not have financial or material security.[61]There do not appear to be any legal restrictions on women’s access to bank loans, however the government reports that social and cultural barriers mean that some entrepreneurial activities are closed to rural women.[62] Government schemes are in place to increase women’s access to credit, including micro-credit and loans in the form of farm materials, equipment and input.[63]

Restricted Civil Liberties

There are no legal restrictions on Burkinabe women’s access to public space. A UNICEF report from 2007 states that 61.5 % of women taking part in the 2003 DHS were not free to visit friends and relatives without their husbands’ permission.[64] This indicates considerably restricted freedom of movement on a day-to-day basis for the majority of Burkinabe women. Freedom of speech is protected by law in Burkina Faso, but not respected, and journalists face intimidation.[65] 44.3% of women and 24.7% of men reported having no access at all to the media.[66]

The right to freedom of assembly is generally respected, although in the past, demonstrations have been violently suppressed.[67] The last 15 years has seen an increase in the representation of women at national and local levels of government. The proportion of women winning seats at local government level rose from 8.9 % in 1995 to 35.8 % in 2006.[68] A broad coalition of women political and civil society leaders came together to campaign for a 40 % quota for women in parliament for the 2007 elections.[69] While this was not successful, (in the 2007 elections to the National Assembly, 13 women were elected, out of 111 – 11.7 %[70]), in April 2009, a new law introduced a 30 % quota for women at legislative and local election level.[71] In 2010, 17.1 % of ministerial positions were occupied by women.[72] National campaigns have also been run to inform women about their civic and political rights, and to encourage more to assume positions of leadership, and there is a ‘gender caucus’ in the National Assembly.[73]

Among civil society organisations, women constitute 19.2% of NGO directors, and 24.8% of heads of community-based organisations.[74] In mixed community-based organisations, women rarely occupy other positions of authority: according to a study carried out in 2005, in a sample of 504 Water Points Committees, in the Northern Environment Water Programme, 1 % of women held the post of Chairperson, 5 % that of Secretary and 32 % that of Treasurer,[75] indicating the ongoing exclusion of women from decision-making positions. Under employment law, pregnant women have the right to 14 weeks paid maternity leave.[76] Tax legislation serves to reinforce the male breadwinner / female homemaker model, by granting tax reductions to married men when both spouses work, on the basis that men are responsible for supporting their families.[77] Within the formal economy, women’s participation in the labour force is almost equal to that of men’s (women make up 46.9 %), but this figure may not present the whole picture, given that so many women (and men) in Burkina Faso work in the informal sector.[78]In addition, women employees are concentrated in the state rather than the private sector, as private sector employers are more reluctant to employ women because of their childrearing and domestic responsibilities.[79]

In Burkina Faso, same-sex relationships are legal for women and men.[80]

References

  1. ↑ Central Intelligence Agency (Cia) (2010) The World Factbook: Burkina Faso , Washington, Dc: Cia, Online Edition, Https://Www.Cia.Gov/Library/Publications/The-World-Factbook/Geos/Uv.Html (Accessed 1 November 2010)
  2. ↑ Central Intelligence Agency (Cia) (2010) The World Factbook: Burkina Faso , Washington, Dc: Cia, Online Edition, Https://Www.Cia.Gov/Library/Publications/The-World-Factbook/Geos/Uv.Html (Accessed 1 November 2010)
  3. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009b) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa: Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/public, p. 74
  4. ↑ Cedaw (2009) ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, Sixth Periodic Report Of States Parties: Burkina Faso’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/6, Cedaw, New York., p.11.
  5. ↑ Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) (n.d.) ‘Gender and Land Rights Database: Burkina Faso’. http://www.fao.org/gender/landrights/report/ (accessed 17 October 2010).
  6. ↑ United Nations Treaty Collection (n.d): Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women, countries ratified.
  7. ↑ African Union (2010) ‘List of countries which have signed, ratified/acceded to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa’ (as of 27 August 2010). http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/Documents/Treatie
  8. ↑ Cedaw (2009) ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, Sixth Periodic Report Of States Parties: Burkina Faso’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/6, Cedaw, New York.; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2007)’World abortion policies’, downloaded from http://www.devinfo.info/genderinfo/ (accessed 21 October 2010).UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009a) ‘Questionnaire à l’intention des pays en prevision, p.4
  9. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009b) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa: Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/public, p.44 World Bank (n.d.) Data: Burkina Faso. http://data.worldbank.org/country/burkina-faso (accessed 1 November 2010) ‘Data: Burkina Faso’ United Nations Development Programme (2011) Human Development Report 2011, available at http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2011_EN_Complete.pdf, accessed 29 February 2012.p.130
  10. ↑ World Bank (n.d.) Data: Burkina Faso. http://data.worldbank.org/country/burkina-faso (accessed 1 November 2010) ‘Data: Burkina Faso’
  11. ↑ United Nations Development Programme (2011) Human Development Report 2011, available at http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2011_EN_Complete.pdf, accessed 29 February 2012.p.130
  12. ↑ United Nations Development Programme (2011) Human Development Report 2011, available at http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2011_EN_Complete.pdf, accessed 29 February 2012.p.142
  13. ↑ World Economic Forum (2011) The Global Gender Gap Report 2011, available at http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GenderGap_Report_2011.pdf, accessed 2 March 2012.p.11
  14. ↑ Committee On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw), ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women Combined Fourth And, p.15
  15. ↑ United Nations Population Division / DESA (2008) World Marriage Data 2008. Available to download at http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/WMD2008/Main.html (accessed 11 October 2010).
  16. ↑ Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) (n.d.) ‘Gender and Land Rights Database: Burkina Faso’. http://www.fao.org/gender/landrights/report/ (accessed 17 October 2010).
  17. ↑ Cedaw (2009) ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, Sixth Periodic Report Of States Parties: Burkina Faso’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/6, Cedaw, New York., p.59
  18. ↑ Committee On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw), ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women Combined Fourth And, p.44
  19. ↑ Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) (n.d.) ‘Gender and Land Rights Database: Burkina Faso’. http://www.fao.org/gender/landrights/report/ (accessed 17 October 2010)., quoting from Lorenzo Cotula (2007).’Droit et genre. Les droits des femmes dans le secteur de l'agriculture’, Etude législative 76, Rev.1, Rome: FAO
  20. ↑ Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) (n.d.) ‘Gender and Land Rights Database: Burkina Faso’. http://www.fao.org/gender/landrights/report/ (accessed 17 October 2010).
  21. ↑ Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) (n.d.) ‘Gender and Land Rights Database: Burkina Faso’. http://www.fao.org/gender/landrights/report/ (accessed 17 October 2010).
  22. ↑ Committee On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw), ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women Combined Fourth And, p.46
  23. ↑ Committee On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw), ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women Combined Fourth And, p.46
  24. ↑ Cedaw (2009) ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, Sixth Periodic Report Of States Parties: Burkina Faso’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/6, Cedaw, New York., p.18
  25. ↑ United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2007)’World abortion policies’, downloaded from http://www.devinfo.info/genderinfo/ (accessed 21 October 2010).UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009a) ‘Questionnaire à l’intention des pays en previsio, p.42; Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) (n.d.) ‘Gender and Land Rights Database: Burkina Faso’. http://www.fao.org/gender/landrights/report/ (accessed 17 October 2010).
  26. ↑ Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) (n.d.) ‘Gender and Land Rights Database: Burkina Faso’. http://www.fao.org/gender/landrights/report/ (accessed 17 October 2010).
  27. ↑ Committee On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw), ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women Combined Fourth And, p.46
  28. ↑ Committee On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw), ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women Combined Fourth And, p.47
  29. ↑ Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) (n.d.) ‘Gender and Land Rights Database: Burkina Faso’. http://www.fao.org/gender/landrights/report/ (accessed 17 October 2010).
  30. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009b) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/public, p.2; Cedaw (2009) ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, Sixth Periodic Report Of States Parties: Burkina Faso’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/6, Cedaw, New York., p.18
  31. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009b) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/public, pp. 68-69
  32. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009b) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/public, p. 70
  33. ↑ United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2007)’World abortion policies’, downloaded from http://www.devinfo.info/genderinfo/ (accessed 21 October 2010).UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009a) ‘Questionnaire à l’intention des pays en previsio, p.42
  34. ↑ Cedaw (2010) ‘Responses To The List Of Issues And Questions With Regard To The Consideration Of The Sixth Periodic Report’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/Q/6/Add.1, Cedaw, New York. Http://Www2.Ohchr.Org/English/Bodies/Cedaw/Cedaws47.Htm (Accessed 15 October 2010), p.8
  35. ↑ Cedaw (2010) ‘Responses To The List Of Issues And Questions With Regard To The Consideration Of The Sixth Periodic Report’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/Q/6/Add.1, Cedaw, New York. Http://Www2.Ohchr.Org/English/Bodies/Cedaw/Cedaws47.Htm (Accessed 15 October 2010), p.7
  36. ↑ Cedaw (2010) ‘Responses To The List Of Issues And Questions With Regard To The Consideration Of The Sixth Periodic Report’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/Q/6/Add.1, Cedaw, New York. Http://Www2.Ohchr.Org/English/Bodies/Cedaw/Cedaws47.Htm (Accessed 15 October 2010), p.9
  37. ↑ Cedaw (2009) ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, Sixth Periodic Report Of States Parties: Burkina Faso’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/6, Cedaw, New York., p.19; Cedaw (2010) ‘Responses To The List Of Issues And Questions With Regard To The Consideration Of The Sixth Periodic Report’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/Q/6/Add.1, Cedaw, New York. Http://Www2.Ohchr.Org/English/Bodies/Cedaw/Cedaws47.Htm (Accessed 15 October 2010), p.7
  38. ↑ Cedaw (2009) ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, Sixth Periodic Report Of States Parties: Burkina Faso’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/6, Cedaw, New York., p,20
  39. ↑ UNICEF (2005b), p.29. As of 2005, the other countries were Ghana, Egypt, and Senegal
  40. ↑ UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) (2005a), Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Statistical Exploration, UNICEF, New York, NY, P. 6. Available At Http://Www.Unicef.Org/Publications/Files/FGM-C_Final_10_October.Pdf (Accessed 11 October 2010), p.6; UNICEF (2007)Unicef (2007) State Of The World’s Children : The Double Dividend Of Gender Equality, New York: Unicef, P.134. Http://Www.Unicef.Org/Sowc07/Docs/Sowc07.Pdf (Accessed 15 October 2010), p.134.
  41. ↑ UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) (2005a), Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Statistical Exploration, UNICEF, New York, NY, p. 6. Available at http://www.unicef.org/publications/files/FGM-C_final_10_October.pdf (accessed 11 October 2010), p. 36
  42. ↑ Cedaw (2010) ‘Responses To The List Of Issues And Questions With Regard To The Consideration Of The Sixth Periodic Report’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/Q/6/Add.1, Cedaw, New York. Http://Www2.Ohchr.Org/English/Bodies/Cedaw/Cedaws47.Htm (Accessed 15 October 2010), p.10
  43. ↑ Cedaw (2009) ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, Sixth Periodic Report Of States Parties: Burkina Faso’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/6, Cedaw, New York., p.21
  44. ↑ UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) (2005a), Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Statistical Exploration, UNICEF, New York, NY, p. 6. Available at http://www.unicef.org/publications/files/FGM-C_final_10_October.pdf (accessed 11 October 2010), p.19
  45. ↑ Cedaw (2009) ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, Sixth Periodic Report Of States Parties: Burkina Faso’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/6, Cedaw, New York., p.40
  46. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009b) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/public, p.119
  47. ↑ Here a prevalence rate of 26 % is given for 2006, although no data source is provided. Cedaw (2009) ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, Sixth Periodic Report Of States Parties: Burkina Faso’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/6, Cedaw, New York., p.42.
  48. ↑ United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2007)’World abortion policies’, downloaded from http://www.devinfo.info/genderinfo/ (accessed 21 October 2010).UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009a) ‘Questionnaire à l’intention des pays en previsio, p. 19
  49. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009b) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/public, p.121
  50. ↑ Unicef (2007) State Of The World’s Children : The Double Dividend Of Gender Equality, New York: Unicef, P.134. Http://Www.Unicef.Org/Sowc07/Docs/Sowc07.Pdf (Accessed 15 October 2010), p. 18
  51. ↑ Cedaw (2009) ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, Sixth Periodic Report Of States Parties: Burkina Faso’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/6, Cedaw, New York., p.56
  52. ↑ United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2007)’World abortion policies’, downloaded from http://www.devinfo.info/genderinfo/ (accessed 21 October 2010).UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009a) ‘Questionnaire à l’intention des pays en prevision de l’examen et de l’evaluation de la mise en oeuvre du programme d’action de Beijing quinze ans après son adoption (Beijing + 15) – BURKINA FASO’ (‘Country questionnaire for the Fifteenth-year Review of the implementation of the Beijing Platform of Action (BPFA + 15)’), p.42
  53. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009b) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/public, p.102
  54. ↑ Institut National de la Statistique et de la Démographie (INSD) et ORC Macro (2004), pp.27-28
  55. ↑ Central Intelligence Agency (2012) The World Fact Book: Sex Ratio, available at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2018.html, accessed 29 February 2012.
  56. ↑ Cedaw (2009) ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, Sixth Periodic Report Of States Parties: Burkina Faso’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/6, Cedaw, New York., p.58
  57. ↑ Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) (n.d.) ‘Gender and Land Rights Database: Burkina Faso’. http://www.fao.org/gender/landrights/report/ (accessed 17 October 2010).
  58. ↑ Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) (n.d.) ‘Gender and Land Rights Database: Burkina Faso’. http://www.fao.org/gender/landrights/report/ (accessed 17 October 2010).
  59. ↑ Unicef (2007) State Of The World’s Children : The Double Dividend Of Gender Equality, New York: Unicef, P.134. Http://Www.Unicef.Org/Sowc07/Docs/Sowc07.Pdf (Accessed 15 October 2010), p.42
  60. ↑ Food And Agricultural Organisation (Fao) (N.D.) ‘Gender And Land Rights Database: Burkina Faso’. Http://Www.Fao.Org/Gender/Landrights/Report/ (Accessed 17 October 2010).
  61. ↑ Cedaw (2009) ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, Sixth Periodic Report Of States Parties: Burkina Faso’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/6, Cedaw, New York. p.56
  62. ↑ Cedaw (2009) ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, Sixth Periodic Report Of States Parties: Burkina Faso’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/6, Cedaw, New York. p.56
  63. ↑ Cedaw (2009) ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, Sixth Periodic Report Of States Parties: Burkina Faso’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/6, Cedaw, New York., p.55
  64. ↑ Unicef (2007) State Of The World’s Children : The Double Dividend Of Gender Equality, New York: Unicef, P.134. Http://Www.Unicef.Org/Sowc07/Docs/Sowc07.Pdf (Accessed 15 October 2010)., pp.20-21
  65. ↑ US Department of State (2010) ‘2009 Country Reports on Human Rights: Burkina Faso’, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/af/135940.htm (accessed 1 Novmber 2010).
  66. ↑ Institut National de la Statistique et de la Démographie (INSD) et ORC Macro (2004), pp. 32-33
  67. ↑ US Department of State (2010) ‘2009 Country Reports on Human Rights: Burkina Faso’, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/af/135940.htm (accessed 1 November 2010).
  68. ↑ Cedaw (2009) ‘Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 18 Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, Sixth Periodic Report Of States Parties: Burkina Faso’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/6, Cedaw, New York., p.26
  69. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009b) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/public, p. 186
  70. ↑ Inter-Parliamentary Union (n.d.)
  71. ↑ United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2007)’World abortion policies’, downloaded from http://www.devinfo.info/genderinfo/ (accessed 21 October 2010).UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009a) ‘Questionnaire à l’intention des pays en previsio, p.30.
  72. ↑ CEDAW Implementation Monitoring Coalition of Burkina Faso (2010)
  73. ↑ United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2007)’World abortion policies’, downloaded from http://www.devinfo.info/genderinfo/ (accessed 21 October 2010).UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009a) ‘Questionnaire à l’intention des pays en previsio, pp. 29-31
  74. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009b) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/public, p.173
  75. ↑ CEDAW Implementation Monitoring Coalition of Burkina Faso (2010) Shadow Report on the 6th Report of the Government of Burkina Faso on the Enforcement of CEDAW, available at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/docs/ngos/NGO_Coalition_Burkina_Faso47.pdf
  76. ↑ International Labour Organization (ILO) (2009) Database of Conditions of Work and Employment Laws, http://www.ilo.org/dyn/travail/travmain.home (accessed 25 October 2010).
  77. ↑ African Gender and Development Index (AGDI) country reports, 2005, in UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009b) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/public, p.143
  78. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009b) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/public, p.130-131; Cedaw (2010) ‘Responses To The List Of Issues And Questions With Regard To The Consideration Of The Sixth Periodic Report’, Cedaw/C/Bfa/Q/6/Add.1, Cedaw, New York.
  79. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009b) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/public, p.134
  80. ↑ ILGA (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association), (n.d.), country profile: Burkina Faso. http://ilga.org/ilga/en/countries/BURKINA%20FASO/Law (accessed 15 October 2010)

The Africa for Women's Rights Campaign

Africa4womensrights.png

Key facts

The Campaign

On 8 March 2009 the "Africa for Women's Rights" Campaign was launched at the initiative of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), in collaboration with fove non-governmental regional organisations: the African Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies(ACDHRS), Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS), Women’s Aid Collective (WACOL), Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF) and Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA). These organisations make up the Steering Committee responsible for the coordination of the Campaign.

The Campaign aims to put an end to discrimination and violence against women in Africa, calling on states to ratify international and regional instruments protecting women's rights, to repeal all discriminatory laws, to adopt laws protecting the rights of women and to take all necessary measures to wensure their effective implementation.

Country Focus: Burkina Faso

Although Burkina Faso has ratified the main international and regional women’s rights protection instruments, their provisions remain widely violated in law and practice.

The Coalition of the Campaign is particularly concerned by the following continued violations of women’s rights in Burkina Faso: persistent discriminatory legislation; violence against women; harmful traditional practices, including early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation; unequal access to property and obstacles to access to justice.

Read more

Sources

The Women, Business and the Law

Where are laws equal for men and women?  

The Women, Business and the Law report presents indicators based on laws and regulations affecting women's prospects as entrepreneurs and employees. Several of these indicators draw on the Gender Law Library, a collection of over 2,000 legal provisions impacting women's economic status. This report does not seek to judge or rank countries, but to provide information to inform discussions about women’s economic rights. Women, Business and the Law provides data covering 6 areas: accessing institutions,using property, getting a job, providing incentives to work, building credit, and going to court. Read more about the methodology.

For detailed information on Burkina Faso, please visit the Women, Business and
the Law Burkina Faso Fasopage.

Sources


The FAO Gender and Land Rights Database

FAO logo.jpg

The FAO Gender and Land Rights Database contains country level information on social, economic, political and cultural issues related to the gender inequalities embedded in those rights. Disparity on land access is one of the major causes for social and gender inequalities in rural areas, and it jeopardizes, as a consequence, rural food security as well as the wellbeing of individuals and families.

Six categories

The Database offers information on the 6 following Categories:

For detailed information on Burkina Faso, please visit the report on Burkina Faso in the FAO Gender and Land Rights Database.

Sources


MDG3 Progress Assessment: Promoting Gender Equality and Empowering Women

Millennium Development Goal #3 is divided into three sub-categories, each of them focusing on different areas: education, employment wage and political power.

Ratios of girls to boys in primary, secondary and tertiary education

The ratio of girls to boys in primary was 0.88 in 2009, from 0.62 in 1992. At the secondary and tertiary levels, it was respectively at 0.7 and 0.6 [1]. There's a disparity between regions in terms of ratios of gender enrolement at the secondary and tertiary levels of education. The highest rates are found in the Centre and Plateau Central districts, where most of the urban centers are located. Sociocultural factors remain an obstacle to women's education in Burkina Faso. Few of them have the opportunity to continue after the primary level and even there, the dropout rate of girls is at 27.7%. Nonetheless, if current trends continue, parity shall be attained by 2015 at the primary level.[2]

Share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector

According to Statistic surveys done by Burkina's government in 2006, 40.8% of wage employment jobs in the non-agricultural sector were held by women. Women are mostly present as domestic workers, and in the catering and hotel sectors. This situation clearly outlines gender stereotypes and segregation.

Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament

In 2007, 11.7% of the National Parliament seats were held by women [3]. In 1992, there were 2 women among the representatives (1.9% of the seats)[4].

References

  1. ↑ Rapport sur les Objectifs du Millénaire pour le Développement.2010. Programme des Nations Unies pour le Développement et Gouvernement du Burkina-Faso
  2. ↑ Rapport sur les Objectifs du Millénaire pour le Développement.2010. Programme des Nations Unies pour le Développement et Gouvernement du Burkina-Faso
  3. ↑ MDG Monitor. Burkina Faso
  4. ↑ Rapport sur les Objectifs du Millénaire pour le Développement.2010. Programme des Nations Unies pour le Développement et Gouvernement du Burkina-Faso
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