Citizen Harmonies: from consultancy to mainstream programmes

In the wake of historic local and national elections, there are very high expectations of the new regime in Burkinan society. While certain policy directions remain to be defined for media organisations and civil society, a virtuous collaboration between media organisations, elected representatives, CSOs and citizens is needed and should represent a starting point.
It is against this backdrop of democratic renewal that “Citizen Harmonies" - a pilot scheme of the FasoMédias 2 project - was launched in the cities of Bobo-Dioulasso and Fada N'Gourma.

Since June 2017, a series of initiatives have been offered with the aim of contributing to citizenship education for young people, responsible citizen participation and the reinforcement of social cohesion. During consultation workshops, different local actors are able to exchange views on development issues and to clarify everyone's role.

“Sometimes, when you see us talking amongst journalists, CSOs and the Bobo authorities, you think we're about to start fighting! Everyone defends their own position, but in actual fact we've got used to working together in the FasoMédias workshops, in an atmosphere of mutual respect."
Serge Téhégohi, trainer and chief editor of Radio LPC Bobo

Public debates

In November 2017, around fifteen local actors (radio stations, elected representatives, CSOs) from Bobo-Dioulasso and Fada N'Gourma also underwent training with a view to working together to produce public citizen consultation programmes about local development matters. Local people were invited to take part in the debates in public spaces.

These programmes are an opportunity for citizens, and especially young people, to gain a better understanding of the local issues they face in their daily lives, to take ownership of these issues, and to participate in debates and, ultimately, in local policy-making.

Still in Bobo-Dioulasso and Fada N'Gourma, media organisations will be holding a public speaking competition for young people in mid-May 2018, providing a forum of expression to Burkinans keen to express their expectations and demands elsewhere than in the street. The Burkinan slam artist D'Clik wants to produce an album by drawing inspiration from the most “civic-minded" texts.
The pre-selection stages are currently underway and 50 young people will be chosen to take part in the first public speaking training sessions and battles. The regional finals are due to be held in September and October.

“After having contributed to the election process as media organisations, it is only right and proper that we relay the expectations of our listeners to the local executive in order to promote citizen-led control of policy-making. What I really enjoyed about this training was the team work and the atmosphere with the local elected representatives and CSOs, in a spirit of harmonious citizenship! "
Raymond Salif ZIDA ( Savane FM/Bobo-Dioulasso).