Nazinon: Some sixty women from the Nazinon region pledged on Wednesday in Manga to work as peacemakers and agents of change within their communities, at the conclusion of the 'Crossroads of Community Ambassadors for Peace', organized by the Network for the Empowerment of Rural Women (REPAFER Burkina).
According to Burkina Information Agency, this initiative is part of the promotion of female leadership in service of social cohesion. It comes a few days after the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) appointed Mamounata Ki, Executive Director of REPAFER Burkina, as a Peace Ambassador on June 20th. The event was held under the theme "Promoting civic engagement of women change agents for peace and sustainable development," aiming to bolster the role of women in conflict prevention, social mediation, and peacebuilding.
REPAFER Burkina's Executive Director, Mamounata Ki, urged participants to embody values of peace, solidarity, fraternity, and community service. She highlighted the family as the foundational space for learning coexistence and encouraged women to use dialogue, forgiveness, and reconciliation as tools for conflict prevention. Ms. Ki emphasized the importance of "living for others," advocating for service to one's neighbor and promoting cooperation across religions, ethnicities, and cultures as key to enduring peace.
The Secretary General of the Nazinon region, Abibata Bamouni, commended REPAFER Burkina for its efforts in social cohesion and women's empowerment. She recognized the international distinction awarded to Ms. Ki as a testament to the organization's impactful work. Ms. Bamouni noted that REPAFER Burkina's initiatives align with the Burkinabe authorities' vision, which prioritizes patriotism, social cohesion, and civic engagement in the pursuit of peace and security.
Alice Combari, the representative of the sponsors and national coordinator of the West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP Burkina), reiterated her organization's support for initiatives enhancing women's leadership. She lauded the active participation of the attendees and urged them to fulfill their roles as community mediators and dialogue promoters. Ms. Combari also called for the creation of mediator networks in all municipalities across Burkina Faso to reinforce social cohesion and community resilience.
The meeting concluded with a panel discussion on women's roles in peace promotion, commitments to social cohesion, and the presentation of certificates to participants. The event also featured the symbolic raising of the torch of peace and social cohesion and the distribution of organic fertilizers to member organizations to support the agricultural campaign.