Burkina Faso Municipal Leaders Receive Human Rights Training to Strengthen Local Governance
Ouagadougou witnessed the launch of a crucial training initiative this Tuesday as municipal authorities gathered for a four-day session on implementing the Human Rights-Based Approach in local development planning.
The Ministry of Justice, through its Directorate General of Human Rights, is spearheading this capacity-building program that brings together twenty-six participants from all twelve districts of the Ouagadougou municipality. The cohort includes Presidents of Special Delegations and General Secretaries who play pivotal roles in shaping community development.
Harouna Kadio, Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice, emphasized the historical context of this approach during his opening remarks. “As part of the United Nations Reform Program launched in 1997, Kofi Annan had invited all entities of the UN system to integrate human rights into their development programs,” he noted, highlighting the international foundations of this initiative.
The Human Rights-Based Approach represents more than just policy compliance—it serves as a transformative framework designed to address systemic inequalities and discrimination. At its core, the methodology prioritizes vulnerable populations in development planning, ensuring that growth benefits reach those who need them most.
Burkina Faso’s journey with HRBA implementation began in 2014, with over 120 ministry executives already trained in its principles. The current expansion to municipal leadership marks a significant step in decentralizing human rights integration.
“Its adoption and implementation have been clearly defined as a strategic objective to be achieved by 2027 in the sectoral policy ‘justice and human rights’. Indeed, it is planned by this deadline that 70% of ministries and institutions will be made aware of the HRBA and that 40% of Local Development Plans will take this approach into account,” Kadio explained, outlining the government’s ambitious timeline.
The training curriculum spans five comprehensive modules drawn from the official HRBA manual, providing participants with practical tools to incorporate human rights principles into their daily governance activities. From budget planning to service delivery, the sessions aim to reshape how municipal authorities conceptualize their responsibilities to citizens.
Kadio challenged participants to embrace the training fully, noting that their engagement could significantly strengthen local governance structures and promote more equitable development outcomes. His closing remarks called for collective mobilization around the nation’s transformation agenda, positioning human rights as fundamental to sustainable progress.
As Burkina Faso continues its development journey, this training represents a critical investment in building governance capacity at the local level—where policies ultimately meet people.
Éléonore Savadogo
Faso7
The article Burkina Faso: Municipal Authorities Trained in the Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) by the Ministry of Justice appeared first on Faso7.
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