Submitted by Louise on
This report is part of CRIN's access to justice for children project, looking at the status of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in national law, the status of children involved in legal proceedings, the legal means to challenge violations of children’s rights and the practical considerations involved in challenging violations.
Burkina Faso has ratified and incorporated the CRC into its domestic law. Children can bring civil and administrative cases, and participate as victims (partie civile) in Criminal proceedings only with the assistance of an adult. Children are automatically entitled to legal aid in most settings. Individuals cannot apply to the constitutional court to review legislations. Burkina Faso has recently created a children's rights department within its national independent human rights institution, which can investigate individual cases of violations, provided they are not already reviewed by a court of law. NGOs can submit complaints in regular courts only if they have a sufficient interest to do so, but are able to apply to the National Human Rights Commission to challenge a human rights violation.
