Social perceptions of gender-based violence among displaced communities in Burkina Faso and their interactions with protection systems

Background Gender-based violence (GBV) remains a major public health challenge in humanitarian settings, where forced displacement weakens social structures, undermines protection mechanisms, and increases vulnerabilities. In Burkina Faso, the security crisis and the scale of internal displacement have profoundly transformed community norms, lived experiences of violence, and institutional responses. Aim This study aimed to analyze social perceptions and lived experiences of GBV among internally displaced populations, while examining organizational responses through the perspectives of service providers operating in forced displacement contexts. Methods Guided by Yuval-Davis’ intersectional framework, this exploratory qualitative study was conducted in Kaya, in the Centre-Nord region. Data were collected through 58 focus group discussions involving 352 internally displaced persons, including women, men, adolescent girls and boys, and community leaders. Additionally, 28 service providers involved in GBV care across medical, psychosocial, social, and judicial sectors were interviewed. A comprehensive mapping of GBV-related services was conducted. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis supported by NVivo software. Results Findings indicate that although community-based protection mechanisms exist, their availability and effectiveness remain uneven. Legal and institutional responses are often perceived as misaligned with deeply rooted social, cultural, and religious norms. Forced displacement contributes to the reconfiguration of social relations and the normalization of intimate partner violence. Women and girls adopt harmful survival strategies, including transactional sex, in response to severe economic precarity. Psychological impacts fear, shame, stigma, and emotional distress were widely reported. Access to psychosocial support was associated with emotional relief and pathways toward recovery. Conclusion These findings highlight the need for integrated approaches that link community perceptions, lived experiences, and institutional responses to strengthen GBV prevention and psychosocial care in humanitarian settings.