On the 19 August 2013, UNHCR and the Government of Burkina Faso represented by the CONAREF (Commission Nationale Pour les Réfugiés), in collaboration with several implementing partners, launched the Biometric Registration Level III of Refugees residing in Burkina Faso at the Refugee Community Center of Ouagadougou. The launching ceremony included the presence of the CONAREF Coordinator and the UNHCR Deputy Representative as well as journalists of the main media outlets of Burkina Faso.

After completing the urban refugees of Ouagadougou, the registration team moved onto Sag-nioniogo camp on the 23 August in Sag-nioniogo camp and onto Bobo-Dioulasso on the 27 August. Next steps include Mentao Camp during the month of September and Goudoubo camp in the month of October.

Partners participating in the Biometric Registration Exercise included: CONAREF with 20 registration agents who have received capacity building from UNCHR; IEDA-Relief, which identifies and accompanies persons with specific needs throughout their registration; as well as health partners such as CREDO, the French Red Cross and CSSI who have been identifying persons with medical conditions.

The process of Bio-metric registration includes: finger print verification, to ensure that refugees have not already been registered; protection interviews undertaken by Community Services in order to determine whether the refugee has a specific need; medical visit in order to determine whether refugee has a medical condition that needs to be checked up on; delivery of attestation cards among others. As a reminder, the Biometric Registration will allow UNHCR to update the protection information pertaining to refugees in order to bring about improved assistance as well as reduce double registrations.

UNHCR Burkina Faso