Country Comments

Burkina Faso is an African country with limited natural resources. Its economy is largely based on agriculture and the majority of its citizens live in poverty. Even with very limited per person consumption the country currently exceeds its carrying capacity and is unsustainable. For the past 5 years Burkina Faso has averaged a very high fertility rate of 5 ½ children per mother. As a result, even with low consumption per person, population growth is putting immense pressure on the available natural and human resources of the country. It would take 40 years of women in Burkina Faso choosing to have one child just to level off and flatten the population growth curve.

With only one permanent river in the country, water resources are limited, and the cost associated in making them available are high. Water pollution and shortages are frequent.

Gender inequality – including child marriage and violence against women – is a major concern in Burkina Faso. Women’s access to sexual and reproductive services particularly contraceptives is limited by poor coverage of health facilities, social resistance and cost. This leads to high maternal mortality, illegal abortions and high birth rates.(1)

The government is recognizing the spiraling human and ecological crisis and through partnerships with other African countries and NGOs is trying to improve family planning outcomes in the region which will hopefully slow population growth and improve the ecology and lives of its citizens.

(1) Ministry of Foreign Affairs Denmark