The Danish Refugee Council’s article “Education under attack in West and Central Africa highlights the devastating impact of conflict on education in the region. By the end of the 2021-2022 school year, more than 12,400 schools were closed in eight countries, mainly due to attacks by non-state armed groups, teachers fleeing or parents being afraid to send their children to school. This is jeopardizing the future of entire generations of children, depriving them of access to learning and exposing them to compounding risks such as early marriage, child labour and recruitment by armed groups. Despite the adoption of the Safe Schools Declaration by most countries in the region, persistent attacks underscore the need for concrete measures to protect education. The report recommends holistic and multi-sectoral approaches, strengthening alternative learning solutions and increasing funding for education in emergencies.

Governance, Security, Education

The study commissioned by the Gorée Institute aims to analyze the civic space related to children's rights in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali and Senegal. Its main objective is to produce a barometer assessing the current situation, in order to determine the need for effective, evidence-based advocacy to influence policies, legal frameworks and practices in the protection of children's rights in these countries. The process involved several steps, including the establishment of indicators validated by the parties involved, the development of quantitative and qualitative statistical data collection tools, followed by an analysis focused on children's rights.

Human Rights, Enfant

The Girls Not Brides report “Knowledge is Power” presents research led by young people in Burkina Faso and Niger, exploring power dynamics in knowledge and advocacy processes to end child marriage and promote girls’ education in West Africa. The young researchers highlighted the impact of patriarchal social norms, poverty and the quality of the educational environment on early marriage and girls’ school dropout. The report recommends promoting successful female role models, using information technology to change dominant narratives, and improving access to quality, inclusive and culturally relevant education.

Gender, Education, Women

The OCHA report of March 2024 highlights the complexity of the humanitarian situation in Chad, exacerbated by structural crises, climate shocks and the massive influx of refugees fleeing the Sudanese conflict since April 2023. These factors seriously disrupt the provision of essential social services, particularly in the east of the country, and compromise development efforts. Chad, one of the poorest countries in the world, hosts more than a million refugees, placing it among the seven countries receiving the most. Inter- and intra-community conflicts, as well as the presence of non-state armed groups, lead to forced displacement of populations, particularly in the provinces of Logone Occidental and Lac. Food insecurity affects nearly 40% of households, with particularly high rates in the Sahelian and Saharan zones. The nutritional situation is worrying, aggravated by limited access to drinking water and health services. The 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan aims to provide emergency assistance to 4 million people, improve access to social services for 3.6 million people and strengthen the resilience of 4.6 million people, with a total budget of US$1.14 billion.

Security, Conflict, refugee, Crise humanitaire

The 2023 Sectoral Review of the Ministry of Health of Mauritania reports on progress towards universal health coverage, in line with the National Health Development Plan (PNDS) 2022-2030. It highlights advances in human resources, infrastructure, equipment and health financing, with activities such as capacity building of personnel and construction of health structures. However, challenges persist, particularly in terms of availability of medicines and governance of the health system. The review recommends better coordination with technical and financial partners, improvement of monitoring mechanisms and optimization of the use of data for decision-making. The outlook includes continued efforts to strengthen the health system and achieve the objectives of the PNDS, with an emphasis on the effectiveness of interventions and the mobilization of necessary resources.

Governance, Health, Couverture sanitaire

Burkina Faso is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, marked by growing insecurity and massive population displacement. In 2018, attacks by armed groups, particularly in the Sahel, Centre-North, East and North regions, forced more than two million people to flee their homes, seeking refuge in safer areas. This situation exacerbates tensions between communities, particularly between herders and farmers, and puts additional pressure on natural resources already weakened by climate change. Basic infrastructure, such as health centres and schools, are often targeted, limiting access to essential services for displaced populations. Despite the efforts of the authorities and humanitarian organisations, assistance remains insufficient given the scale of the needs, and insecurity hinders access to some affected areas.

Governance, Agriculture, Livestock, Security, Violence, Crisis, Déplacement forcé

The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA) article, published in September 2020, highlights attacks on education in the Central Sahel, including in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. Between 2015 and 2019, more than 430 incidents were recorded, including burning and looting of schools, as well as threats, kidnappings, or killings of teachers. These violences are mainly perpetrated by armed groups opposed to state education in French, such as the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), and Ansarul Islam. State and non-state forces have also used schools for military purposes. Despite school closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic, more than 90 attacks were reported between January and July 2020, suggesting that violence continued at a similar rate to the previous year.

Security, Education, Groupes armés non étatiques

The article “Terrorism in the Sahel: the Mauritanian exception” looks at the reasons why Mauritania has not experienced jihadist attacks since 2011, unlike its Sahelian neighbors. This exceptional situation is the result of a multidimensional and pragmatic strategy, adapted to the specificities of the Sahel and to the war in the desert. Under the leadership of General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, the army underwent a major overhaul, with a substantial increase in the military budget, leading to the creation of Special Intervention Groups (GSI). These elite, light and mobile units are designed to operate autonomously in the desert. In addition, Mauritania has established fixed checkpoints on cross-border roads and has designated certain desert areas as “military zones.” This approach, combining military modernization and adaptation to local realities, has allowed the country to regain control of its territory and serve as an example in the fight against jihadist movements in the Sahel.

Security, Jihad, Terrorism

Food policies in West Africa oscillate between responding to risks and acting as a factor of insecurity. Since the 1960s, regulatory frameworks have evolved, but concrete results remain limited. These policies, influenced by complex political and economic dynamics, struggle to reconcile the divergent interests of stakeholders (consumers, producers, traders). The State plays a central but weakened role in regulating tensions between formal and informal, legal and illegal categories. Food policies often lack clear priorities and public consensus, despite the recent harmonization of strategic frameworks. They are often relegated by better-defined agricultural and health policies.

Politics, State, Agriculture, Livestock, Food security