On 20 March 2024 in Ouagadougou, stakeholders and implementing partners of the West Africa Food System Resilience Program (FSRP) in Burkina Faso were briefed on measures to combat sexual harassment and gender-based violence.

From the FSRP regional implementation offices and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Resources and Fisheries, 30 agents were given training on measures relating to sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment (EAS/HS) as well as gender-based violence to facilitate the implementation of the FSRP.

These measures are intended to help promote gender equality, protect the rights of women and girls, and combat sexual harassment and gender-based violence among the actors and implementing partners as well as the target populations of the PRSP.

In its implementation in countries, FSRP carries out actions that include the construction of numerous infrastructures, such as buildings and productive facilities. These activities involve many people of all categories, in particular men, women, and young people. From this point of view, the implementation of the FSRP is likely to give rise to social and environmental risks, particularly the risk of trafficking in women for the purposes of prostitution, the risk of forced early marriage, etc. It was therefore necessary to train the stakeholders involved in the implementation of the programme to avoid any inconveniences likely to hamper its implementation.

FSRP has been implemented in Burkina Faso since 2022, with funding estimated at FCFA 72.5 billion, and aims to improve the living conditions of nearly 100,000 households, or 650,000 people, in seven regions: Boucle du Mouhoun, Centre-East, Centre-West, Centre-South, East, Hauts-Bassins and North.