Burkina Faso is a landlocked West African republic. It is among the ten poorest countries in the world: its Human Development Index ranks 183rd out of 189 countries (2018 data), with a life expectancy at the birth of 60 years. The country also ranks, in the aforementioned report, in 146th place out of 159 countries as regards gender equality.

The population, which is around 19 million, lives mainly in rural areas, dealing with agriculture and livestock. However, production is insufficient to meet the needs of the entire population, which for 40.1% lives below the poverty line (UNDP and WB data).

The health situation is particularly delicate throughout the country, but especially in rural areas and as regards the health of women and children.

Birth rates are high although the spread of contraceptives has increased in recent years, but the mortality rate at birth also remains high.

There is little access to health services. In rural areas they are inadequate and numerically small.

Community services aimed at supporting family planning, the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and, more generally, aimed at protecting the health of the person outside the main cities.

As for registry services, registration is almost never contextual at birth. This produces an anomalous use of betrayal registration procedures, which leads to a gap between women and men in possession of the birth certificate.

The project aims to strengthen the supply and demand of social promotion and registry services at the Social Promotion Health Centers (CSPS), municipalities and schools in the regions of the Center, Center-south and Plateau Central. 

In particular, it intends to improve the quality of services offered in family planning, in the registry office, in the prevention of gender-based violence and in sexual and reproductive health by facilitating access to women, minors and adolescents in 26 municipalities. 

The project activities are divided into three different areas:

1. The strengthening of the registry system in the municipalities and districts involved in the project both in the main and secondary centers
2. The improvement of the services offered by the health centers of social promotion related to reception, social promotion, health and family planning
3. The implementation of an annual awareness campaign on gender equality, respect for women’s rights and the elimination of gender-based violence.

Mani Tese intervenes in particular in the third area with various activities:

1. Organization of 14 training and awareness meetings on national policies regarding family planning, registry, gender-based violence and women’s rights in collaboration with the local competent authorities. This contributes to the identification of the specific needs of each territory, defining a more specific action and monitoring plan.
2. ‘Open doors’ days in collaboration with local authorities to introduce communities to the services provided by CSPS, women’s homes and registry offices.
3. In-depth analysis of female and youth CSOs (civil society organizations) and their needs. The data collected will concern the activities carried out by the organizations met, needs and constraints, number of members, literacy rate, type of involvement, level of empowerment. The list with the database will be shared with the Social Action and the Municipalities in order to provide information and allow them constant updating.
4. Creation of a network of women’s organizations and associations present in the area through the redevelopment of 7 Women’s Homes present in the regions of intervention. Mani Tese, in particular, intervenes in the accompaniment of the house management committees for the development of an action plan and sustainability of services and structure. It also facilitates, together with the partner FENAFER-B, the networking and exchange of good practices among the female CSOs in the area.
5. Training of CSOs on human, women’s and children’s rights and the fight against gender-based violence. Organization of 3-day training sessions in each municipality in collaboration with the Women’s Houses and with the participation of the members of the surveyed CSOs (see point c). The use of the theater is also foreseen.