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Treaty Status | Management & Coordination | Impact (contamination & casualties) | Addressing the Impact (land release, risk education, victim assistance)

Country Summary

The use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by non-state armed groups has been recorded in Burkina Faso since 2016.[1] Initially they were mostly command-detonated, but, pressure-plate operated improvised mines (victim-activated IEDs) have been increasingly used since 2018, reportedly due to signal scrambling technology employed by French troops disrupting command-detonated devices.[2] Persistent armed attacks in northern and eastern regions of the country since 2018, and in the center-north region more recently, have involved the use of such devices, with an increased frequency of incidents.[3]

Following a technical assessment in June–July 2019, UNMAS deployed to Ouagadougou in September 2019 to support Burkina Faso response to IEDs. UNMAS aims to provide technical training to national authorities, to deliver risk education, and to map and analyze the impact of IEDs to inform effective humanitarian assistance.[4]

Burkina Faso does not have any cluster munition contamination.

There are no specific victim assistance programs or activities operating in Burkina Faso.

Treaty status

Treaty status overview

Management and coordination

Mine Action management and coordination

Mine action management and coordination overview

Information management

In 2020, UNMAS was developing an IED-incidents database in Burkina Faso to provide analysis on the trends and impact of the explosive threat.[5] Analysis confirmed that armed groups operating in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have a regional capacity for the transfer of knowledge regarding IED techniques, tactics, and procedures.

In addition, Operation Barkhane armed forces established a Counter-IED Exploitation Laboratory (CIEL) in Ouagadougou where the remains of IEDs are deconstructed and analyzed.[6]

Risk Education management and coordination

Risk education management and coordination overview[7]

Coordination

UNMAS is providing programmatic support to the CNLPAL with the goal of formulating and implementing risk education for civilians, including internally displaced persons, living in conflict-affected regions.[8] These risk education sessions for civilians were scheduled to begin in 2020.[9]

The Risk Education Working Group of the mine action sub-cluster includes UNMAS, UNICEF, and three international NGOs.[10]

UNMAS held a workshop in March 2020 to agree on harmonized risk education messaging and material to be used by all operators in Burkina Faso.[11]

Victim assistance management and coordination

Victim assistance management and coordination overview[12]

There is no victim assistance program or coordination in Burkina Faso, however some international organization are providing relevant services.

Legislation

Burkina Faso is a State Party to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). There is an active National Multi-Sector Council for the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It serves to raise awareness and advocate for the rights of people with disabilities.[13]

The law requires the provision of less costly or free healthcare, along with access to education and employment.[14] However, it has been reported that these provisions were not enforced and persons with disabilities have reported that they have experienced discrimination, including difficulty finding employment.[15]

The disability rights movement in Burkina Faso lacks funding and staffing and it is also mostly confined to the capital and dependent on international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). There are many local disabled people’s organizations (DPOs), but these often have occasional meetings and a celebration on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.[16]

Impact

Contamination

Contamination overview

Note: IED=improvised explosive device.

Mine Contamination

IEDs have been reported since 2016 but were mostly command-detonated. Since 2018, improvised antivehicle mines have been increasingly used in order to evade signal scrambling technology employed by French forces, which prevents command-activated IEDs from detonating.[17] Improvised antivehicle mines are often constructed from pieces of old moped, with explosive components placed in a plastic container.[18]

Armed attacks have occurred in the north and east regions of the country since 2018, and in the center-north region more recently.[19]

Casualties

Casualties in 2019[20]

Casualties in 2019—details

For 2019 the Monitor recorded 56 casualties of improvised mines in Burkina Faso. All casualties were in vehicles when the incident occurred.[21] Due to the recent use of improvised mines, and a lack of systematic data recording of mine/ERW casualties, annual trends over time are not known and the total number of casualties is yet to be determined.

Addressing the impact

Mine Action

Operators and service providers

A coordinated clearance program is not operational, but UNMAS deployed to Burkina Faso in September 2019, with part of its mandate being the provision of IED-risk awareness training to the police and other national security forces in order to mitigate risks.[22]

Burkinabe national media reported that during 2019, members of the United States (US) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with experience in countering IEDs delivered training to members of the Burkinabe defense and security forces.[23]

Risk Education

Operators and service providers

Throughout the final quarter of 2019, UNMAS delivered risk education sessions to humanitarian workers and police officers on the dangers of IEDs and improvised antivehicle mines.[24]

UNMAS developed a package of programmatic support for the CNLPAL to facilitate implementation of risk education for civilians affected by conflict. In August 2020, UNMAS began implementing risk education for civilians in the most affected regions.[25]

Beneficiary numbers

Beneficiaries of risk education in 2019

Note: UN=United Nations; NGO=non-governmental organization.

A total of 399 beneficiaries from UN organizations and NGOs and the Burkina Faso security forces received risk education from UNMAS in 2019.[26]

As of 30 September 2020, UNMAS had delivered 821 risk education sessions for more than 25,000 beneficiaries, including IDPs (5,157 men, 8,173 women, 5,893 boys, and 6,383 girls) living in high-risk areas in the regions of Boucle de Mouhoun, Centre-Nord, Est, Nord, and Sahel.[27]

Implementation—delivery methods

UNMAS provides risk education awareness sessions upon request or through the protection cluster and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). They use standard presentations adapted to the country and region and based on level and type of contamination. There is one presentation for humanitarian workers and one for law enforcement and security agencies.[28]

Victim Assistance

Victim assistance providers and activities

Though there are no victim assistance-specific programs operating, the government of Burkina Faso has identified five international organizations as providing services to persons with disabilities in the country (see table below).

Victim assistance international operators[29]

As of May 2020, there were no specific victim assistance programs or activities operating in Burkina Faso. Support for persons with disabilities was undertaken by NGOs. However, none of these organizations provided victim assistance specifically.[30]

HI tries to provide mobility aids, but there is no rehabilitation program outside of Ouagadougou. It supports inclusive education, including for survivors through projects in the northern and eastern regions. [31] Many schools offer free education; however, they lack resources for providing inclusive education to children with disabilities and those impacted by psychological trauma due to violence and conflict.[32]