The Indigenous World 2026: Burkina Faso

Written on 22 April 2026. Posted in Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso comprises 66 different ethnic groups. The M'bororo Fulani and the Tuareg are two of the peoples considered Indigenous. They live spread throughout the country but are particularly concentrated in the north, Seno, Soum, Yagha and Oudalan regions; they are mainly pastoral and agropastoral communities. Most of these people live in the Sahel region. However, due to the impact of climate change, Fulani communities can be found all over the country. These groups have historically depended on natural resources and pastoral mobility. They are often geographically isolated, living in dry areas, economically marginalized and the victims of human rights violations, confronted by violent conflict and insecurity. There is no disaggregated data available on ethnic groups in the Sahel.

This article is part of the 40^th edition of The Indigenous World, a yearly overview produced by IWGIA that serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced. Find The Indigenous World 2026 in

Socioeconomically, the ongoing security and humanitarian crisis in the region has led to forced displacement, a loss of livelihoods, accumulated pressures on the land and natural resources, food insecurity, land marginalization and limited access to basic social services. These scourges make Indigenous Peoples one of the groups most affected by multidimensional poverty.

There are a number of organizations involved in the activities of the Indigenous Movement in Burkina Faso. One of them is Tin Hinan, an organization of pastoral women from the Sahel in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. There are also Indigenous media outlets, although they do not identify themselves as such (Anmidhal, Walde Ejef).

Burkina Faso's Constitution does not recognize the existence of Indigenous Peoples but does recognize freedoms of association and expression. Across the Sahelian countries, the concept of Indigenous Peoples is difficult to incorporate into the various rights mechanisms and development policies. The political situation, accentuated by insecurity, makes it difficult to include the concept of Indigenous Peoples in national and regional legal frameworks.

Burkina Faso voted in favour of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). However, it is not fully transposed into the national legal framework. ILO Convention No. 169 has not been ratified by the country.

Indigenous Peoples, insecurity and territories in 2025

Recurring insecurity in Burkina Faso began around 2015. Since then, terrorist actions have become increasingly frequent. This insecurity has only worsened, and 2025 was one of the worst

years, marked by persistent insecurity, particularly in the Sahel region of Burkina Faso but also in other parts of the country.

Armed violence, the militarization of territories and restrictions on movement have profoundly disrupted pastoral lifestyles based on transhumance and seasonal access to pastures and watering holes. Many Indigenous communities have been forced to move internally, sometimes several times, losing their herds, their customary lands and their cultural landmarks. These displacements have increased intercommunity tensions and competition for access to resources in the host areas. Entire villages and communities have been forced to abandon their traditional homelands and move to host sites. This has affected several aspects of these communities’ rights, with women and children

being the hardest hit.

For example, in May 2025, deadly attacks perpetrated by armed groups around Djibo killed dozens of civilians and were accompanied by the burning of stores and medical centres. In several provinces (Sahel, North, East), jihadist groups have imposed blockades on towns (notably Djibo, Sebba, Titao), erected systematic roadblocks and made threats against humanitarian and commercial convoys. These restrictions were already being documented in 2024, and have persisted and even worsened in 2025, according to testimonies gathered by NGOs.1

The Burkinabè authorities have also increased the number of military operation zones, making civilian access difficult. They have stepped up controls, screening and checkpoints, particularly in areas that have been recaptured, and have slowed down.2

In terms of conflict resolution, social cohesion and peacebuilding, it is important to encourage the participation of Indigenous communities and women so that they can contribute their expertise and commitment to peace. They are one of the population groups most in need of peace as their very survival depends on it. Although the role of Indigenous women is recognized as essential in combating the effects of climate change and in conserving biodiversity, and thus in natural resource management, it remains weak due to their lack of access to resources. The security and humanitarian crisis is yet another challenge. Faced with unemployment, a loss of identity and stigmatization, Indigenous youth are both vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups and the bearers of innovative solutions for peace. In 2025, several youth initiatives focused on culture, community dialogue and resilience but they lack funding and institutional recognition.

Legal framework and public policies affecting Indigenous Peoples

There was no real national agenda in 2025 as regards the concept of the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Although legal frameworks for land management exist, they are inadequate in relation to the exercise of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), particularly in areas affected by mining projects and protected areas.

In 2025, Burkina Faso had 22 industrial mining permits, which produced 53,375 tonnes of gold in 2024, plus 800 informal artisanal mining sites.3 Mining activities result, among other things, in a loss of access to water, land degradation, land ownership tensions, intercommunity conflicts and violation of the rights of environmental defenders.4 The failure to take the land rights of Indigenous communities into account affects the economy and the sustainability of pastoral communities' traditional and environmental knowledge, cultures and moral values, including those relating to conflict resolution and peace. This can

have an impact on the socio and political development of the country.

In response to these challenges, community initiatives emerged and gained strength in 2025. For example, projects such as “Femmes Pastorales du Sahel en Mouvement”, supported by the Foundation for a Just Society (FJS), which has enabled the creation of a network and the strengthening of the Tin Hinan platform. Another project, the “Assdou N'Assehat d'Assoraten Ibnane Fal Tamoussnawen”, in partnership with the Aramât project, brings together health and biodiversity through Indigenous knowledge. Its goal is to respond to the health and well being needs of Indigenous communities —particularly women and girls— while preserving forest biodiversity.

Both projects have also made it possible to carry out field activities in the area of environmental conservation —capacity building in land management, protection of biodiversity species, participation in climate, desertification, advocacy and international engagement, such as in the Convention on Biological Diversity, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and UN sessions dedicated to the promotion and protection of Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

International commitments and the participation of Indigenous Peoples

The Tin Hinan Association participated in the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in December 2024, and the 24th session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) in April 2025. The association used these occasions to carry out advocacy actions and activities to promote the role of Indigenous women in conservation and combating desertification. It strengthened its networking across the pastoral and Indigenous movements, as well as within global civil society. Participation in the UNCCD COP 16 also provided an opportunity to engage with national institutions in Burkina Faso, in particular the Ministry of the Environment, Water and Sanitation. On the fringes of UNPFII, Tin Hinan took part in several events, including the “Global Strategy Meeting for the International Decade of Indigenous Humanitarian Peacebuilding 20252035”, which resulted in landmark decisions and declarations that will guide Indigenous peace. In 2025, international human rights mechanisms, notably the UN, continued to emphasize the importance of recognizing and protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples in conflict situations. The report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples reiterated the urgency of securing Indigenous land rights as a foundation for peace and security.

However, the effective participation of Indigenous representatives in these international processes remains limited due to current global issues, increasingly stringent visa requirements, access to travel resources, language barriers, and the fact that English-speaking regions continue to be favoured in terms of resources.

Looking ahead to 20262027, we remain positive but everything depends on an open dialogue and an understanding of the importance of involving everyone in protecting the environment, combating the effects of climate change and contributing to local and national development. Consolidation of a lasting peace is essential to achieving this.

Saoudata Aboubacrine is a Tuareg of Burkinabè and Malian origin. She is currently Coordinator of the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Network (AIPN) and Secretary General of the TIN HINAN platform, the Association for the Empowerment of Nomadic Women in the Sahel Region.

This article is part of the 40^th edition of The Indigenous World, a yearly overview produced by IWGIA that serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced. Find The Indigenous World 2026 in

Notes and references

• RFI, “Burkina Faso: des groupes armés islamistes ont massacré des civils (alerte Human Rights Watch),” 15 September 2025. https://www.rfi.fr/fr/ afrique/20250915burkinafasodesgroupesarm%C3%A9sislamistesontmassacr%C3%A9descivilsalertehumanrightswatch
• Human Rights Watch, “Rapport mondial 2025: Burkina Faso,” https:// www.hrw.org/fr/worldreport/2025/countrychapters/burkinafaso
• Financial Afrik, “Burkina Faso: plus de 800 mines d’or artisanales échappent au contrôle,” 18 September 2025. https://www.financialafrik.com/2025/09/18/ burkinafasoplusde800minesdorartisanalesechappentaucontrole/
• Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), “Les défis et menaces auxquels sont confrontés les défenseurs de l’environnement au Burkina Faso,” n.d., https:// org/fr/issuesinfocus/lesdefisetmenacesauxquelssontconfronteslesdefenseursdelenvironnementauburkinafaso/

Tags: Global governance