The Operational Coordination Group for Rapid Response (GCORR) reports that nearly 37,000 households have been displaced due to 48 separate displacement alerts. This marks a significant 92% increase compared to the same period in the previous year. In May alone, GCORR documented approximately 41,000 individuals impacted by 12 displacement alerts nationwide.

The Boucle du Mouhoun region bears the heaviest burden, with over 106,000 people displaced, including more than 65,000 children, across 13 localities such as Dédougou, Di, and Tougan. This region accounts for 45% of all internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Burkina Faso.

Critical humanitarian needs persist

The overall security landscape in Burkina Faso remains volatile, characterized by persistent attacks across the Sahel, North, Centre-North, East, Centre-East, and Boucle du Mouhoun regions. These assaults have targeted security forces, Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP), and local communities.

According to UNICEF, this escalating violence has created substantial humanitarian needs across all sectors. The most pressing requirements include shelter, food security, access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), protection services, and education.

While various organizations have initiated interventions to support those on the ground, significant needs continue to outweigh the ongoing response efforts.

Regarding nutrition, over 10,000 children nationwide were admitted for treatment of severe acute malnutrition in April. More than half of these cases originated from regions severely affected by jihadist violence, including Boucle du Mouhoun, North, East, Sahel, and Centre-North.

Addressing severe acute malnutrition

From January through April, more than 36,000 children received treatment for malnutrition, with over 20,000 of them residing in insecure areas. By the end of May, a total of 179,000 individuals, including over 25,000 children, had been treated for acute malnutrition. Within this group, more than 8,000 children suffered from severe acute malnutrition.

The deteriorating security situation broadly impacts humanitarian operations, hindering access, elevating operational risks, and increasing the need for assistance among affected populations. Attacks in the East and Sahel regions have resulted in the destruction of vital local infrastructure, particularly in health, education, water, and administrative services.

Djibo: a town under jihadist blockade

Among the hardest-hit areas is Djibo, located in the Soum province in northern Burkina Faso. Its entire population, estimated at approximately 48,000 individuals (both displaced and host communities), has been affected, as the town has been cut off from supplies since December 2024.

UNICEF, through its local partners, implements various programs in Djibo focusing on water, sanitation and hygiene, education, child protection, health, and nutrition.

Humanitarian workers, like the affected communities, face significant dangers, including the risk of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and kidnappings. UNICEF emphasizes that beyond access challenges, a critical shortage of resources presents another major obstacle, severely impacting response capabilities in insecurity-plagued regions.