Burkina Faso Regional Program BI-WEEKLY REPORT May 23 - June 5, 2020

The program focuses on awareness campaigns, community engagement, and social cohesion initiatives to counter violent extremism. In the Sahel region, awareness campaigns aim to diffuse tensions among community members. Local leaders are trained to address ethnic divisions and promote peace. BFRP re-engages these leaders to delve deeper into the roots of these divisions, pushing the issues out into the open. The program works with a local association to record messages of peace that are broadcast across the commune and further into the province. These messages showcase leaders discussing their frustrations and pains of daily life under constant attack from outside and within. One example of a recorded message is from the head of a women's leadership group, stating, "Our ancestors showed us the path to follow by establishing values of respect and appreciation of others in order to favor peace and dialogue between communities. Let's all work to preserve harmony and social cohesion in our commune!" The message highlights the importance of preserving social cohesion and promoting peace. In the Est region, the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) is increasing. IDPs are often fleeing their homes with little resources and are stigmatized when seeking refuge. Women and children make up the majority of these IDPs and play an important role in integration into their new location. BFRP engages leaders from both IDP and host community groups to come together and find common ground. Through peer-led discussion sessions, facilitated by a regional women's organization grantee, women on both sides are able to hear the challenges they face and identify ways towards solutions. The ability to role-play has allowed women to foster social cohesion and engage on how they are perceived through someone else's eyes. A member of the host community stated, "This gives us hope for a better coexistence." The program's initiatives aim to mitigate tensions between IDPs and host community members, promoting access to community resources and finding ways to benefit both groups. By addressing the challenges faced by IDPs and host community members, BFRP works to promote social cohesion and reduce tensions in the region.