Category: Study & Research

Capacity Building Needs Assessment and Engagement Mechanisms for Youth as Actors for Peace and the Rule of Law in the Sahel RegionI. 

Mission Context and Core Information

1. Comprehensive Mission Objective and Scope

The overarching objective of this critical assessment mission was to engage with a diverse range of relevant stakeholders across the four targeted countries—Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Senegal—with a particular and central focus on the youth population itself.

The mission was specifically tasked with two primary, interconnected deliverables:

1. Identification of Capacity Building Needs: To determine, through rigorous consultation, the specific knowledge, skills, technical, and institutional capacities that young people in these nations require to effectively participate in and contribute to peacebuilding efforts and the promotion of the Rule of Law within their respective communities.
2. Establishment of Enabling Mechanisms: To propose concrete, implementable mechanisms, frameworks, and support structures necessary to facilitate the sustained engagement and empowerment of these youth as proactive and legitimate actors for peace and the Rule of Law.

2. Foundational Methodological Approach

Crucially, the entire consultation and identification process was mandated to employ a gender-responsive approach. This means the mission sought to:

• Acknowledge and analyze the different and specific needs, barriers, and opportunities facing young women and young men.
• Ensure that the proposed capacity building and engagement mechanisms are equitable, addressing gender-based inequalities, and actively promoting the full and meaningful participation of young women in all peace and governance processes.

3. Strategic Rationale and Expected Impact

The mission was conceived out of the recognition that young people in the Sahel region, while often disproportionately affected by conflict, political instability, and weak governance, are also the region’s largest demographic asset and most vital resource for long-term stabilization. By identifying and addressing their specific capacity gaps and establishing clear pathways for civic engagement, the project aimed to:

• Mitigate Conflict Drivers: Equip youth with the tools to resolve disputes non-violently, counter radicalization and violent extremism, and promote social cohesion.
• Strengthen Democratic Governance: Enhance youth literacy and participation in legal frameworks, justice systems, and democratic processes, thereby bolstering the Rule of Law.
• Inform Future Programming: Provide UNESCO and its partners with the evidence base and strategic direction needed to design and implement targeted, effective, and contextually appropriate youth empowerment programs in the Sahel.

The two-month period was dedicated to intensive fieldwork, stakeholder interviews (including government officials, civil society organizations, community leaders, and particularly youth networks), focus group discussions, and data synthesis to deliver a comprehensive report detailing the findings and recommendations.

• Tire de la mission: IDENTIFICATION DES BESOINS EN RENFORCEMENT DES CAPACITES DES JEUNES AU BURKINA FASO, AU MALI, AU NIGER ET AU SENEGAL ET DES MECANISMES LEUR PERMETTANT DE DEVENIR DES ACTEURS POUR LA PAIX ET L’ETAT DE DROIT
• Pays d’intervention: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger
• Client: UNESCO
• Période: Juillet-Août 2021

Objectif de la mission

Consulter les parties prenantes concernées au Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger et Sénégal dont les jeunes, pour identifier les besoins en renforcement des capacités de ces derniers ainsi que les mécanismes nécessaires pour qu’ils puissent s’engager en tant qu’acteurs pour la paix et l’état de droit dans leur communauté, selon une approche réactive en matière de genre.

Pour plus d’information, contactez-nous: [email protected]

Client: Orezone

Country: Burkina Faso

Intervention Period: April-May 2022

The Orezone Bomboré Project necessitated a robust review of its Environmental and Social (E&S) requirements. As the resource personnel, supported by the ALG expertise, a focused and systematic technical approach was implemented to ensure comprehensive E&S compliance and mitigate potential risks.

Our methodology, conducted during April-May 2022, was structured around five key technical objectives:

1. Comprehensive Section Review and E&S Issue Identification:

The initial phase involved a detailed technical review of all project sections. The aim was to systematically identify and document all existing and potential environmental and social issues pertinent to the Bomboré Project’s scope and location in Burkina Faso. This involved cross-referencing project plans with established E&S standards.

2. Technical Assessment of Issues, Risks, and Impacts:

Following identification, a technical assessment was performed to evaluate the significance of the issues, risks, and potential E&S impacts directly associated with the planned operational activities. This phase utilized established risk assessment matrices and impact evaluation methodologies to categorize and prioritize potential harm to the environment and local communities.

3. Informing E&S Selection Documentation:

A critical step involved translating the findings into practical documentation. We were responsible for accurately populating the required technical sheets and forms used for the environmental and social selection (screening) of sub-projects. This ensured that all subsequent project components would be evaluated based on the identified E&S risks.

4. Technical Engagement with Local Authorities:

Effective E&S management requires local coordination. We engaged in direct technical consultation and exchange with the technical departments within the town halls of the sites hosting the project sections. This dialogue was crucial for aligning project activities with local environmental regulations and social concerns, ensuring stakeholder buy-in, and gathering site-specific technical data.

5. Validation, Classification, and Work Determination:

The final phase involved the validation of the screening results. This led to the formal E&S classification of the project components. Based on this classification, the necessary environmental and social work—the technical mitigation and enhancement measures—was determined. The ultimate goal of this entire approach was the preservation of the tranquility and well-being of the neighboring and adjoining populations throughout the project lifecycle.

This systematic and technically driven approach was instrumental in providing Orezone with a clear, compliant, and responsible pathway forward for the Bomboré Project.

• Client: OREZONE
• Pays: Burkina Faso
• Période de l’intervention: Avril-Mai 2022

L’objectif de cette activité est de (i) parcourir l’ensemble des tronçons et observer les enjeux environnementaux et sociaux en présence, (ii) apprécier les enjeux, risques et impacts environnementaux et sociaux potentiels liés aux opérations envisagées, (iii) renseigner les fiches et formulaires de sélection environnementale et sociale des sous-projets, (iv) prendre contact et échanger avec les directions techniques des mairies des lieux d’accueil des tronçons et (v) valider les résultats du screening, faire la classification et déterminer le travail environnemental et social nécessaire toujours dans le souci de préserver la quiétude des populations riveraines/mitoyennes.

Africa Label Group (ALG) successfully completed a comprehensive community conflicts assessment in the Sahel region for the International Republican Institute (IRI). This critical assignment provides essential groundwork for developing a robust, regionally coordinated strategy to prevent and counter violent extremism (P/CVE) in West Africa.

Project Overview

The Urgent Need for Regional P/CVE

The Central Sahel, encompassing countries like Burkina Faso, has seen an alarming expansion of violent extremist organizations (VEOs). This growing threat is increasingly spilling over, putting intense pressure on northern border communities in the adjacent coastal states—Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo, often referred to as the Littoral States.

Recognizing that VEOs exploit local vulnerabilities, including community conflicts and resource disputes, a successful P/CVE strategy must be tailored to specific, localized contexts. The IRI, therefore, commissioned this assessment to rigorously evaluate existing community-led P/CVE interventions and capture the best practices, successful models, and crucial lessons learned from these efforts.ALG’s Role and Methodology

ALG’s team of four key experts and ten research assistants executed the assessment across the five target countries. The primary objective was to conduct a thorough analysis of the drivers, dynamics, and impact of community-level conflicts in vulnerable border regions.

Our methodology focused on:

• Mapping Conflict Dynamics: Identifying the root causes, triggers, and key actors involved in local conflicts (e.g., farmer-herder tensions, resource competition, chieftaincy disputes).
• Evaluating P/CVE Interventions: Assessing the effectiveness and sustainability of past and ongoing community-led initiatives designed to mitigate conflict and build resilience against extremist narratives.
• Identifying Best Practices: Extracting proven strategies and transferable lessons that have successfully fostered social cohesion and reduced vulnerability to recruitment by VEOs.

Strategic Impact

The findings from ALG’s assessment are intended to serve as the analytical foundation for IRI’s efforts to integrate these best practices and lessons learned into a cohesive regional P/CVE strategy.

This strategy will be a coordinated effort involving the governments of Burkina Faso, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Benin. Crucially, the initiative will leverage existing regional security frameworks and institutions, including coordination with:

• The Accra Initiative (AI): A collaborative security mechanism established by the Littoral States and Burkina Faso to prevent the spillover of terrorism from the Sahel.
• The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS): The primary political and economic union in the region, whose mandate includes promoting peace and security.

The project has laid essential groundwork for a safer and more stable West Africa. This has been achieved by aligning the regional strategy with the efforts of the AI and ECOWAS. This alignment is designed to secure high-level ratification, broad political buy-in, and the creation of a sustainable, multi-national framework. This framework will be used for community-based conflict prevention and countering violent extremism across vulnerable border regions. ALG is proud to have made this contribution.

• Client: International Republican Institute (IRI)
• Countries of the assessment: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo
• Period: September-November 2021
• Number of experts assigned: 4 key experts and 10 research assistants

As violent extremist organizations expand their zones of influence in the central Sahel and increasingly threaten northern border communities in the Littoral States, IRI seeks to integrate the best practices and lessons learned from rigorously evaluated community-led prevention and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) interventions in target border communities into a regional P/CVE strategy ratified by Burkina Faso, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Benin through coordination with the Accra Initiative and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

ALG carries out this mission as part of the implementation of the project “Donko ni Maaya – Crisis prevention and strengthening of social cohesion through the promotion of the culture sector in Mali.

Title of the mission: study of the socio-economic impact of the culture sector on development in Mali

Country of intervention: Mali

Client: GIZ

Period: May-July 2022

The mandate entrusted to ALG by GIZ and the Ministry of Culture of Mali consists of:

• take stock of the cultural and creative sector in Mali;
• assess the weight of culture in the national economy through its contribution to GDP, its ability to
• create jobs and income in the formal sector and its share in household consumption;
• show the interaction between culture and development;
• propose the main axes for the elaboration of a strategic plan for the development of the culture sector, in particular the Cultural and Creative Industries;
• propose advocacy to arouse the interest of decision-makers, investors and development partners to invest in this sector.

As part of the Community-Based Recovery and Stabilization Project for the Sahel implemented by the World Bank, Africa Label Group has been mandated to carry out a component of this program. This involves conducted a study to support the development and design of a Regional Data and Coordination Platform (PRDC) for the Liptako-Gourma region.

Objectives of the assignment:

The purpose of this assignment is to support the development and design of a Regional Data and Coordination Platform (RDCP) for the Liptako-Gourma Region.

Client ; World Bank

Country : Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali

Period : March –June 2021

Activities performed :

• Formalization of partnership around the development of the RDCP
• Developping of data collection instruments
• Interaction with stakeholders on issues of extremism and human rights violations ;
• Stakeholder mapping and analysis for the region
• Stock-take of the database systems already available and in use in the Liptako-Gourma region

In 2021, the World Bank Group entrusted ALG with the critical assignment of supporting the development and design of a Regional Data and Coordination Platform (RDCP) for the Liptako-Gourma Region (Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger). This strategic platform is designed to promote recovery and stability in this Fragility, Conflict, and Violence (FCV) hotspot, with a core focus on mainstreaming human rights.Approach: Anchored in Human Rights and Regional Cooperation

The overarching objective of the assignment was to support the development and design of the RDCP, specifically to:

• Strengthen human rights knowledge and learning in the region.
• Contribute to recovery and development by enhancing knowledge exchange and cross-collaboration among the three nation states.

The approach was built on an explicit mandate to follow a Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA), ensuring all indicators and methodologies for data collection and monitoring of FCV risks were sensitive to the context and focused on the most vulnerable groups.

Methodology: A Six-Pillar Framework

ALG implemented a comprehensive six-part methodology, working closely with the World Bank Project team, Project Implementation Units (PIUs), the Liptako-Gourma Authority, and key human rights partners.

1. Stakeholder Mapping and Analysis: Conducted a comprehensive mapping of all relevant actors, including universities, think tanks, international organizations (e.g., G5, Sahel Alliance, UN), government officials, local NGOs, and CBOs, to ensure broad-based ownership and partnership in the RDCP’s design.
2. Database Stock-Take and Evaluation: Undertook a thorough inventory of existing spatial, temporal, and open-source datasets on FCV and human rights indicators, including international and regional data (e.g., WB Development Indicators, ACLED, UNHCR), to build upon existing information infrastructure.
3. Indicator Dashboard Development and Action Plan: Identified data gaps and proposed a dashboard of development indicators to monitor human rights and FCV risks. This involved:
   • Consulting with key partners (UNDP, AFD, DANIDA).
   • Developing an action plan for context-sensitive data collection on the ground, including proposing survey questions and innovative ICT tools.
   • Applying the OHCHR’s HRBA to inform indicator selection and data collection methodologies.
   • Creating detailed guidelines, measurement protocols, and training curricula for the PIU and surveyors.
4. Communications and Outreach Plan: Developed a strategy to engage policy makers, academics, and researchers, boost the RDCP’s visibility and credibility, and initiate regional dialogues and workshops.
5. Knowledge Exchange Systematization: Proposed a plan for sustained, continual knowledge exchange by integrating system support and incentives for stakeholders to contribute knowledge (e.g., crowdsourcing), promote workshops, and inform scholarship grants. This included recommending a collaboration/governance structure with regional partners.
6. Operationalization Action Plan: Prepared an overarching, harmonized action plan for the implementation and operationalization of the RDCP, detailing technical and resource prerequisites, capacity building needs, and a timeline for development.

ALG provided the World Bank and the regional governments with a robust, human rights-centric, and regionally cooperative roadmap for a credible data and coordination platform to promote recovery and stability in the Liptako-Gourma Region.

ALG carried out, on behalf of the World Bank, the study on transparency and accountability of local governments in French-speaking Africa (LOGTAFA study) in Burkina Faso. Following this service, the World Bank entrusted ALG with setting up a benchmark for the evaluation of good practices in local governance in the country.

The evaluation framework that was developed makes it possible to assess the performance of local authorities in decision-making areas such as:

• Local planning,
• Programming and budgeting,
• Procurement,
• Service provision,
• Monitoring and evaluation,
• Audit…

Once the benchmark was validated by the World Bank and its partner (the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization), ALG was mandated to support the organization of the Competition for Excellence in Local Governance (COPEGOL). ALG assigned experts to this project, which helped organize the 2009 and 2011 editions of COPEGOL. More than 50 urban and rural municipalities in the country were awarded prizes and received rewards. The Association of Municipalities of Burkina Faso (AMBF) played an active role in the process.

Since 2012, the Burkinabe State has taken over the organization of COPEGOL, which continues and strengthens the dynamics of performance and efficiency in local management in Burkina Faso.

For more information on this project, contact: [email protected]