Celebration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in Burkina Faso

To celebrate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 of November), Burkina Faso organized exchange meetings and a panel discussion on the "contribution of the traditional and religious leaders in the fight against violence against women".

The exchange meetings with traditional and religious communities took place on the 28 and 29 of November and a panel discussion on the 4 of December. The ceremony was celebrated on the 30 of November with a closing ceremony presided over by the First Lady and the Minister for the Promotion of Women, the Mayor of Ouagadougou and many others including traditional and religious leaders of Burkina Faso together with women and member of women associations.

The aim of the working days was to strengthen the action between the Minister for the Promotion of Women and the religious authorities in the fight against violence against women (VAW) and girls in order to reduce this phenomenon within the Burkina Faso society.

The objectives were: 1) to sensitize leaders' opinion, traditional and religious leaders on the sociocultural impact on violence and on the persistence of VAW; 2) to highlight the contribution of opinion leaders, traditional and religious leaders in the fight against VAW; 3) to encourage the engagement of opinion leaders and traditional and religious leaders to protect women and girls against various form of VAW; and 4) to establish a constructive dialogue between the traditional leaders and the Minister of the Women Promotion in the fight against VAW.