Bougouriba: The Diebougou departmental coordination of women organized a public conference on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at the Women's House, to commemorate International Women's Day, celebrated this year around the theme: "Building lasting peace in Burkina Faso: what contribution of women and girls to the promotion of living together?".
According to Burkina Information Agency, the conference was led by Youssouf Ouedraogo, head of the women and gender department at the Bougouriba Provincial Directorate of Family and Solidarity. In his presentation, he highlighted the central role women play in building a peaceful and inclusive society.
The speaker emphasized that women are essential actors in mediation and reconciliation within communities. "Women are also educators. In families, they transmit to children the values of respect, solidarity, and mutual support, which contribute to shaping the responsible citizens of tomorrow," he explained.
Mr. Ouedraogo also stressed the importance of women's involvement in socio-economic development, particularly through income-generating activities (IGAs), which contribute to improving household living conditions.
The departmental coordinator for women in Diebougou, Lydie Donloira Ouedraogo/Meda, expressed her delight at the strong turnout despite the constraints of Sunday activities. "Although it was a Sunday marked by religious services and the local fair, the women were determined to attend this conference. The discussions and questions asked demonstrate that the objectives of this meeting were achieved," she stated.
She added that several participants expressed their desire to connect with relevant organizations to access entrepreneurship training and better develop their businesses. However, Ms. Ouedraogo/Meda believes that financial support and the establishment of local processing units remain necessary to enable women to sell their products and gain a stronger foothold in the market.
Esther Janine Somda, president of the Kpakara women's cooperative and a conference participant, emphasized that women must be pillars of social cohesion. "Women must be educators, unifiers, and advocates for forgiveness and solidarity to foster mutual acceptance in society," she stated.
The meeting was held in the presence of several guests, including the Secretary General of the Diebougou town hall, Moussa Coulibaly, representing the President of the special delegation of the municipality. He urged the women to continue actions promoting their empowerment and their contribution to local development.
This conference concludes a series of activities carried out by the women of Diebougou since March 2, including awareness sessions on living together, a sports walk, screenings for cervical and breast cancer, as well as sanitation operations.