PAX has been working in Burkina Faso since 2021. PAX’s Protection of Civilians program has been implementing a Human Security Project in Burkina Faso since 2024. This focuses primarily on collecting information on civilian perceptions regarding their security, community engagement activities aimed at crafting local protection solutions, and human security-informed training and advise activities with national actors.
Burkina Faso faces significant security challenges, including the persistent threat from non-state armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State, as well as the complexities of counterinsurgency operations involving security forces and local militias. These challenges are most acute in the northern and eastern regions, particularly near the Mali border, where armed groups exploit local grievances, resource competition, and limited state presence to expand their influence. The evolving conflict landscape is marked by community tensions, vigilantism, and banditry, contributing to widespread displacement, humanitarian needs, and ongoing risks to civilian safety. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated efforts to restore human security, strengthen trust between civilians and security actors, and the creation of comprehensive and inclusive mechanisms to address causes of insecurity.
The PoC team’s work in Burkina Faso primarily consists of survey research on civilian perceptions regarding their security and community engagement through our Human Security Survey (HSS) approach, and on training and advising relevant security actors and government bodies on how to improve human security. Our interventions aim to contribute to the trust building between civilians and security actors that is needed to restore inclusive governance structures.
The Human Security Survey
In partnership with OCADES, we will be initiating our Human Security Survey methodology in Burkina Faso in 2025. The HSS is a unique survey methodology developed by PAX, which includes a series of complementary activities, including population-based research, active community engagement, and advocacy. It gathers large-scale, representative data from civilians on their own safety and security situations, in order to use this for local community engagement and peacebuilding efforts, as well as for national and international advocacy.
Our first iteration will take place in and around Fada in the east of Burkina Faso after an extended consultation on contextualization of our methodology to fit the circumstances in Burkina Faso. PAX aims to expand the area of research to contribute to building trust between communities and security actors by providing relevant data and opportunities to engage security and governance actors on human security.
Read more about our HSS methodology here.
Training and advice
PAX is developing its training and advice methodologies tested in other countries together with Burkinabé governance and security actors to make them fit for purpose in Burkina Faso. This phase consists of exchanging methodologies with existing training initiatives to see where value can be added from a human security perspective, informed in part by our HSS. Plans for 2025 include a curriculum and training exchange with Burkinabé security and governance actors, alongside civil society experiences with training for human security.
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