FAMILY VIOLENCES AGAINST GIRLS AND BOYS IN BURKINA FASO: differences across normative contexts

Alis BAMBARA , Institut de démographie et socioéconomie / Université de Genève

Studies in health and social sciences found a relation between violence against children and social norms, including gender norms. In different contexts, social norms can either act as safeguards against or promote violence against children. Sub-Saharan Africa is home to diverse and multicultural settings, yet few studies have compared how variations in social norms impact family violences' practice against girls and boys in these societies. This research uses an intersectional approach, with Burkina Faso as a case study, to examine how specific normative contexts contribute more significantly to the protection of girls and boys from various forms of family violences. Multilevel analyses were conducted using data from children under 12 years old in Burkina Faso in 2018. The first findings reveal disparities in the family violences practice against children based on their region of residence. These variations are pronounced depending on the children's sex or the specific forms of violence experienced. Importantly, these variations in violent practices are partly attributed to differences in social norms supporting corporal punishment across various regions. Keywords: Family violences, Childhood, Intersectionality, Social norms, Burkina Faso

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 Presented in Session P1. Fertility, Family, Life Course