Civil society contributes to shaping cultural policies in Burkina Faso

Since 2014, civil society is opening up new spaces for discussion to improve the cultural governance of Burkina Faso.

The Coalition of Artists and Intellectuals for Culture, founded in 2010, organizes symposiums, forums, and advocates for the inclusion of culture in the national development process. In 2015, the Coalition brought together different voices from the cultural arena to offer innovative perspectives on the role of cultural actors and civil society organizations in policy design and implementation. The need for improvements to the policy environment and the resourcing of culture were at the heart of this participatory initiative.

As a result, and with the support of the Swiss cooperation and many cultural institutions, five renowned artists, cultural professionals and researchers were involved in the writing of a book entitled ‘Governance for and through culture’. Published in 1.000 copies and widely circulated among policy-makers, it provides an overview of the performances and results of existing cultural policies. The book also introduces a framework for action to enhance systems of governance for culture. The Burkinabe civil society expects the publication to be an inspiring source of information and best practices.

Civil society’s initiatives in Burkina Faso thus directly contribute to the implementation of both Goal 1 of the Convention and SDG 16. Indeed, by bringing the concerns of citizens, associations and enterprises to the attention of public authorities as well as by actively collecting, analysing and sharing information, more informed and transparent policy-making is ensured (Target 16.7) and a sustainable system of governance for culture is being progressively established (Goal 1).