RFLD RESEARCH TEAM
Sexual violence against women and girls in war-torn northern Burkina Faso is a pervasive and devastating issue. Armed conflict creates a climate of insecurity where rape, sexual slavery, and other forms of violence are used as weapons of war. These acts inflict deep physical, psychological, and social scars on survivors, disrupting families and communities.
Sexual violence against women and girls in areas of armed conflict in northern Burkina Faso has serious consequences for the physical and mental health of survivors. This leads to infections, injuries, unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.
Survivors of sexual violence also suffer from mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety. Sexual violence causes serious physical injuries, including vaginal, anal and genital wounds, fractures and internal injuries. It also leads to infectious diseases such as vaginal infections, urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV. These infections have serious health consequences for survivors, including obstetric complications, infertility and death. Sexual violence have serious psychological effects. Sexual violence also provokes feelings of shame, guilt and blame.
The outlook for sexual violence against women and girls in areas of armed conflict in northern Burkina Faso is alarming. Indeed, armed conflict continues and armed groups continue to commit sexual violence against civilians. The following factors contribute to the persistent sexual violence in these regions:
- Lack of lasting peace (armed conflict facilitates the perpetration of sexual violence, creating an atmosphere of anxiety and violence)
- Impunity of perpetrators (perpetrators of sexual violence are rarely prosecuted or punished, which contributes to the perpetuation of such violence).
Sexual violence against women and girls in areas of armed conflict is a crime against humanity, a war crime and an absolutely unacceptable weapon of war. It takes many forms, including rape, sexual contact, forced prostitution and sexual slavery. These have serious physical, psychological, social and economic consequences for the survivors.
Women and girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence in situations of armed conflict. These conflicts create an atmosphere of insecurity and violence that facilitates the perpetration of such violence. Sexual violence is a serious crime that violates the fundamental human rights.
Measures can be taken to combat sexual violence in areas of armed conflict in northern Burkina Faso:
- Promote education and awareness of the risks of sexual violence. A change of attitude towards sexual violence is essential.
- Educational programs should target women and girls, men and boys, parents and community leaders.
- Information must be provided on the risks of sexual violence, the rights of women and girls, and the resources available.
- It is important to strengthen the protection of women and girls against sexual violence. This can be achieved by strengthening the presence of security forces in areas of armed conflict, establishing community protection mechanisms and providing victims with access to protection services.
- It is also important to prosecute perpetrators of sexual violence in order to guarantee impunity. This can be achieved by strengthening the capacity of security forces to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of sexual violence, and by establishing transitional justice mechanisms for victims.
Civil society organizations play an important role in combating sexual violence in areas of armed conflict. They provide support to survivors, raise awareness of the dangers of sexual violence and work to protect women and girls.
To combat sexual violence in these areas, we need to strengthen peace and security, and stabilize the security environment.
Combating sexual violence in areas of armed conflict is a complex challenge, but it is essential that measures are taken to protect women and girls from such violence.
Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement (RFLD), a non-governmental organization that defends the rights of women and girls, is carrying out various operations to combat such violence in armed conflict zones in the north of the country. RFLD runs awareness and education campaigns on the issue of sexual violence. The aim of these campaigns is to educate the population about the dangers of sexual violence, the rights of survivors and the resources available to help them. RFLD helps survivors of sexual violence to rebuild their lives.
Sexual violence against women and girls in armed conflict zones is a scourge with devastating consequences for the victims, their families and their communities. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence in armed conflicts. Indeed, these conflicts create a climate of insecurity and violence, and encourage recourse to violence.
Ending sexual violence against women and girls is not the responsibility of any one person, actor or group. Lasting change will require collective action, in which everyone has a role to play. Everyone, men and women, developed and developing countries, representatives of government, parliaments, the judiciary, law enforcement officers, civil society, the private sector and organizations, must play their part.
Suvivors of sexual violence must have access to medical care, mental health services and legal assistance. Combating sexual violence in areas of armed conflict is a complex challenge, but measures to protect women and girls from such violence are essential.
