Madam Bibata Ouedraogo

Madam Bibata Ouedraogo

(Activist)

Madam Bibata Ouedraogo, is a Burkinabé woman and activist committed to promoting and protecting women's rights in Burkina Faso, including sexual reproductive health rights, and maternal rights. As at 2019, Madam Bibata Ouedraogo was the President of the Association Feminine pour le Development du Burkina (AFDEB), an association which promotes the social and economic rights of women and young girls in remote rural communities in Burkina Faso. She advocates against Early and Forced Marriage as well as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). She also conducts outreach to Burkinabé communities to raise awareness around HIV/AIDS and combat violence against women and girls. 

Although FGM, early and forced marriage are now outlawed in Burkina Faso, societal attitudes have been slow to catch up. The rates of these cruel practices remain among the highest in the world and Women-led organisations like AFDEB are a driving force in changing these attitudes.

In the words of Madam Bibata Ouedraogo, ‘’Women don’t know about their rights or even that they have rights. They think men are always right and whatever they say women should follow. So we are trying to educate them. To stand up. This is not just an issue for Burkina Faso, it concerns the whole world, so this is our opportunity to help girls and women become self-empowered.’’

(Picture from Sophie Garcia, Information from amnesty.org.uk , @CatalystasC on Twitter)