Supporting GBV survivors in hard-to-reach areas

Burkina Faso | 2022 | CERF

Burkina Faso, Boucle du Mouhoun. For Sali, 27, the memory of her sexual assault remains raw, but she says that getting support and knowing the perpetrator is behind bars, has been a great help.

“I was coming home from my condiment business one evening around seven, when I was assaulted and sexually abused. My tormentor also robbed me of my earnings for the day,” said Sali, who has a disability.

A friend advised her to contact Abba’s International Healing Center (AIHC). “The NGO’s counsellor listened to me and provided psychological support, which really allowed me to let off steam,” Sali said.

She also received a cash transfer, which she said enabled her to access ‘full care services’ and resume her condiment business. “The day I received the transfer message, I cried with joy because I had never imagined receiving such a sum,” she said.

The NGO also provided legal support, which helped ensure the perpetrator was put on trial and sentenced to prison.

AIHC is a UNFPA implementing partner in the Boucle du Mouhoun region of Burkina Faso, where it conducts activities to combat gender-based violence (GBV), thanks to funding from CERF.

In December 2021, CERF allocated $10 million from its underfunded emergencies window for humanitarian activities in Burkina Faso to provide 100,000 vulnerable people in remote and hard-to-reach areas with assistance. The funding included a grant to a UNFPA project to provide GBV protection assistance to 8,694 people, including 148 persons with disabilities.

CERF allocated $10 million from its underfunded emergencies window to support relief operations in Burkina Faso in 2022.

More information on the CERF allocation: Allocation summary (UFE 2022)
CERF data hub (UFE 2022)

‍