Justice Needs and Satisfaction of IDPs and Host Communities in Burkina Faso

This report details the justice needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host community members in Burkina Faso. It is the second justice needs study conducted by HiiL and UNHCR and seeks to help the government of Burkina Faso and its humanitarian and development partners identify priorities for improvements of access to justice for IDPs and host communities in affected cities.

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host community members find themselves sharing an experience nobody expects to live through in their lifetimes. To date, it is estimated that the Government of Burkina Faso hosts more than 22,700 refugees and asylum-seekers.

This Justice Needs and Satisfaction (JNS) study is the result of more than 2,100 face-to-face conversations with IDPs and host community members. It was conducted in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and in collaboration with the Foundation Terre des Hommes Lausanne (TDH).

The JNS unveils the legal problems, consequences, actions taken, and overall satisfaction experienced by IDPs and host communities seeking a resolution to their justice concerns. The study took place during a period characterized by the global COVID-19 pandemic and a deteriorating security situation that worsened internal displacement in Burkina Faso.

The aim of the JNS study is to help the government of Burkina Faso and its humanitarian and development partners identify priorities for improvements of access to justice for those in affected host cities, especially Kaya in the Centre-North region and Ouahigouya in the North Region.

Photo: © Tom Peyre-Costa / NRC