After decades of authoritarian rule, Burkina Faso’s progress towards the consolidation of multiparty democracy continues to be slow. October 2007 marked President Blaise Compaoré’s twentieth year as president, while May 2007 elections provided an opportunity for the ruling Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP) party to further strengthen its power in the legislature. Opposition parties, who were well-represented in the previous National Assembly, lost heavily during 2007 polls, while the second-largest party in the country, the Alliance for Democracy and Federation/Meeting for African Democracy (ADF/RDA), supported President Compaoré.
At the local level, Burkina Faso continues to experience the effects of a major decentralization effort launched in 2006. Local elections in that year increased the number of communes from 49 to approximately 350, establishing local government structures for the first time in most parts of the country. Burkinabe women were elected to public office in record numbers through the polls; of the 17,000 local councilors in Burkina Faso, more than 5,000 (almost one-third) are women.
Current Activities
NDI’s current activities support women’s participation in political and decentralization processes. After the 2006 local elections, NDI provided training on municipal council administration, the decentralization process, and the roles and responsibilities of local councilors to 1,600 women councilors from all of Burkina Faso’s 45 provinces. Since then, NDI has met regularly with women councilors to discuss the challenges that women in politics face, brainstorm strategies for overcoming these challenges, and promote networking among local councilors to foster collaboration among women leaders.
NDI is currently conducting workshops for women councilors in eight communes to strengthen their governance skills and ability to respond to constituents’ needs. Workshops have covered: the structures and functions of local government; identifying community needs; improving access to local government for women; monitoring community development projects; and tracking and overseeing local budgets.
Past Activities
In anticipation of the 2002 legislative elections, NDI organized a study mission to Mauritius in March 2001 to allow Burkinabe political leaders to learn from the Mauritian democratic process and to identify ways to create a more conducive environment for political competition. Upon their return to Ouagadougou, the Burkinabe delegation engaged in a roundtable discussion that sought to build consensus on preparations for legislative elections.
In 2004, NDI conducted a program to assist party leaders in strengthening internal party structures and promoting more constructive inter-party dialogue. Key activities included message development trainings, two large-scale forums where representatives from political parties and civil society discussed issues of local importance, and a roundtable discussion for political party leaders to identify ways to improve inter-party dialogue.
Contact Information
For further information on the Institute’s programs in Burkina Faso, please contact:
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