Burkina Faso Government Allocates Over 18 Billion FCFA to Empower 100,000 Women Including IDPs

OUAGADOUGOU — The government of Burkina Faso has allocated 18.41 billion FCFA in loans to over 100,000 women, including those internally displaced, through the Support Fund for Women’s Income-generating Activities (FARF) throughout 2023.

According to Burkina Information Agency, these funds were distributed across 41 provinces, benefiting a total of 100,457 women as part of efforts to support women’s financial independence and contribute to their socio-economic integration.

The Ministry of Solidarity detailed that these efforts were particularly focused on internally displaced women, who have been severely impacted by the country’s challenging security situation. The financial assistance comes alongside vocational training programs aimed at enhancing these women’s skills for better socio-economic integration. The minister of Solidarity, Humanitarian Action, National Reconciliation, Gender, and Family, Ms. Nandy Somé/Diallo, further solidified this commitment by launching the Women’s Economic and Social Resilience Project (PRES-PDI) in Kaya in October 2023. This project is designed to support over 8,000 internally displaced women across the Centre-North, East, Boucle du Mouhoun, and Sahel regions.

Looking ahead to 2024, the ministry announced plans to further enhance the FARF’s reach and efficiency through the deployment of a new management tool, aiming to better serve its beneficiaries. Established in September 1990, the FARF operates as an unguaranteed financing fund under the Ministry in charge of Women, covering the entire national territory of Burkina Faso.