Overview of Human Rights in Burkina Faso

Overall, Burkina Faso has a poor record of human rights. Indeed, there are areas in which major abuses occur almost daily. A weak infrastructure and high levels of poverty undermine any meaningful changes by the government to resolve past and current human rights violations.

The police in Burkina Faso are prone to use arbitrary arrest, detention, and excessive force against law-abiding citizens and criminals alike.  Meanwhile, societal violence goes unchecked by the authorities.

There has been no progress made into resolving extrajudicial execution-style killings.  As well, no charges have been brought against those responsible for the politically motivated killings which occurred in the late 1990s.

Both prisoners and international monitors have complained about harsh and inhumane prison conditions that can prematurely lead to prisoners’ illness and/or death.

The government is known to restrict the freedoms of press, assembly and association. Demonstrations against the government are often forcibly dispersed by the authorities and those detained are sometimes held indefinitely. 

Discrimination and violence against persons with disabilities and children happen without repercussion or reprisal. Child labor and trafficking of persons for forced sexual labor are growing problems. 

Human Development Index (HDI) Rank:

174th out of 177

Note: Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that measures the level of well-being of nations in the world. It uses factors such as poverty, literacy, life-expectancy, education, gross domestic product, and purchasing power parity to assess the average achievements in each nation. It has been used in the United Nation’s Human Development Report since 1993.