Burkina Faso/Youth civic participation: A new project to raise awareness among pupils and students belonging to faith-based organizations

"Sensibilisation des élèves et étudiants du Burkina Faso pour une participation citoyenne et un éveil démocratique" is the title of this new project for pupils and students, which was officially launched on the afternoon of Thursday June 8, 2023 at the Joseph Ki-Zerbo University in Ouagadougou. The ceremony was followed by an inaugural panel discussion on the theme of "Student civic participation in a context of security and humanitarian crisis".

The project will run for three months, in three regions (Centre, Plateau Central and Nord), and will benefit 62,000 people, in particular faith-based pupils and students. They come from three structures, notably the Jeunesse étudiante catholique (JEC), the Union des groupes bibliques du Burkina (UGBB) and the Association des élèves et étudiants musulmans du Burkina (AEEMB).

According to AEEMB president Aly Sodré, during the implementation of this project, they will be equipped and made aware of the issues of citizen participation and democratic awakening. He explains that the project will involve organizing a series of activities where these young pupils and students will come together to discuss citizenship issues, as well as informing them about a number of civic values. In addition to these, they will also be called upon to be much more vigilant in these difficult times for our nation, when well-anchored citizenship is needed to overcome all difficulties, he advised.

Moustapha Ouédraogo, the project's technical manager at UGBB, added that several actions are planned to implement the project. In short, the aim is to make them aware of the importance of their participation in the management of public affairs, but also to develop a certain number of cardinal values so that Burkina Faso can count on them in the future. These are complemented by a number of public activities, such as panels, conferences on good governance, radio broadcasts and forum theaters in the three beneficiary regions.

Taking action is no longer an option, but a necessity

The official launch of the project on June 8, 2023 was followed by an inaugural panel discussion on the theme of "civic participation by pupils and students in the context of the economic crisis".tudiant dans un contexte de crise sécuritaire et humanitaire" animated by several panellists, including Jonathan Convolbo, leader of a youth association and representative of JEC. For the leader, as a young person like them, it's important to get involved, to take action in your community, on campus, in high schools and colleges, and to let people know that everyone, through their small actions, can be a solution to this crisis. "Because, we are at a time when taking action is no longer an option, but a necessity," he summarized.

Returning to the project, it must be said that it aims to contribute to the promotion of democratic awakening and to strengthen the civic participation of pupils and students, members of the three groups.tudiants, members of the three faith-based groups Jeunesse étudiante catholique (JEC), Union des groupes bibliques du Burkina (UGBB) and Association des élèves et étudiants musulmans du Burkina (AEEMB). The aim is to foster democratic awareness in schools and students, and to help them understand their civic duty, the issues at stake and the importance of their participation in political life.

Source: lefaso.net/