PDCS II: Strengthening local democracy and participation in Burkina Faso

In Burkina Faso, PDCS II aims to strengthen inclusive local democracy and social cohesion across approximately 20 partner municipalities. It seeks to ensure that women, children and young people play a meaningful and recognised role in local governance.

Burkina Faso is undergoing a period of significant transition shaped by complex security, humanitarian and socio-political challenges. These pressures have placed public institutions and communities under considerable strain. Elected municipal councils have been dissolved and replaced by special delegations under the authority of prefects. Women, children and young people remain structurally marginalised from local decision-making, while deep-rooted gender inequalities further restrict civic participation. Population displacement and changing governance arrangements are placing additional pressure on local democratic structures. At the same time, these changes create opportunities for reform, greater inclusion and more resilient forms of local development.

The Decentralisation and Social Cohesion Programme (PDCS II) is financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented through GIZ. It responds directly to these structural deficits. Dorsch Impact leads the assignment as sole implementing partner and is responsible for delivering all service packages in partner municipalities across the South-West, Hauts-Bassins and Cascades regions. Applying a gender-transformative approach, the programme works to create the institutional conditions required for inclusive local governance.

Areas of Expertise

Environment & Society
Good Governance, Peace & Social Cohesion

Companies

Dorsch Impact

Client

German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) GmbH

Duration

From 2026 to 2027

Location

Burkina Faso

Project Activities

Work Package 1 – Strengthening Women's Involvement in Local Governance

Raising public awareness on the value of women's participation in local development through forum theatre, film screenings, debates, and media outreach
Providing institutional support to local authorities to create more inclusive governance environments
Delivering targeted capacity-building measures for women, including training, mentoring, and coaching
Mobilising women's associations to develop and submit innovative micro-projects for GIZ co-financing
Engaging male decision-makers as well as traditional and religious authorities to foster gender-transformative change

Work Package 2 – Strengthening Children's and Youth Participation in Local Development

Conducting awareness-raising and capacity-building activities on children's rights and human rights, targeting municipal actors, deconcentrated services, and civil society organisations
Organising bi-annual idea competitions to identify and select micro-projects led by children and young people, assessed by a multidisciplinary jury against objective criteria
Supporting the implementation and monitoring of 20 micro-projects (10 per edition), ensuring genuine autonomy and leadership by young project initiators
Advising on the integration of youth-led micro-projects into formal municipal development planning (PAI)
Facilitating participatory events, including interactive radio broadcasts and forum theatre, across 36 partner municipalities to promote children's rights and the right to participation
Ensuring the equal quantitative and qualitative participation of girls and young women throughout all activities

Impact

5,000+ people are targeted for sensitisation on inclusive local governance and the value of women's and youth participation in community development.
400 women are expected to benefit from structured capacity-building measures, with at least 70% demonstrating active participation in local decision-making processes upon completion.
20 youth-led micro-projects will be supported across two editions, fostering civic agency and ownership among children and young people in some of Burkina Faso's most affected regions.
The programme directly contributes to national frameworks for decentralisation and social cohesion at a time of acute institutional fragility, helping to sustain local governance structures and community resilience in the face of ongoing crisis.
Through its gender-transformative approach, PDCS II addresses structural inequalities at their root, building the long-term foundations for inclusive, transparent, and accountable local governance in Burkina Faso.

Contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

We are committed to making a positive impact and supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This project contributes to the following SDGs: