Burkina Faso: Over 1,900 People, Mostly Children, Removed from Ouagadougou Streets
Burkina Faso's Ministry of Family and Solidarity, in partnership with the Laabal Brigade, conducted an operation from June 24 to July 3, 2026, to remove individuals engaged in begging from the streets of Ouagadougou. Over the ten-day period, a total of 1,911 people were removed from public spaces. A significant majority of those removed were children, numbering 1,396, which constitutes 73.05% of the total individuals affected by the operation. Within this group of children, 1,046 were identified as 'talibés', a figure representing 75% of all children removed from the streets. These statistics highlight a substantial presence of children, particularly talibés, in situations of begging within the capital city.
This operation in Ouagadougou addresses the visible issue of child begging, a common challenge in urban centers across West Africa. The high percentage of children, especially talibés, removed from the streets suggests systemic vulnerabilities within the traditional education and social support systems. While the immediate removal of individuals from public spaces may offer a short-term solution to street visibility, a comprehensive long-term strategy is crucial. This should involve addressing the root causes of child exploitation and ensuring access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities for vulnerable families. Future interventions should focus on sustainable reintegration and prevention, rather than solely on removal, to break cycles of poverty and dependency.
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