Burkina Faso has shifted attention from beauty pageants to scientific achievement after suspending beauty competitions nationwide.
The government of President Ibrahim Traoré suspended beauty pageants on June 8, 2026, pending new regulations intended to protect the country’s cultural identity, social values and human dignity.
Two months later, the presidency launched HAKILI Mousso, a national science competition that brought together 84 young women to compete in scientific disciplines. The initiative culminated in an awards ceremony in Ouagadougou on September 19, where outstanding participants received cash prizes, motorcycles, computers and other educational support.
The competition reflects the government’s efforts to encourage girls to pursue scientific careers and recognise their academic achievements in a country seeking to strengthen its technical expertise.
HAKILI Mousso targeted female students who completed their baccalaureate examinations in 2026 and met the eligibility requirements for the competition.
According to Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, the first edition brought together 84 finalists selected to compete in mathematics, physics and chemistry.
The government awarded prizes to the five best-performing candidates in each discipline. The rewards included cash awards ranging from 500,000 to two million CFA francs, motorcycles, laptops, scholarships and support for transport, accommodation and meals.
The government also recognised teachers who supported the finalists, extending the initiative’s benefits beyond the students themselves.
Chemistry student Inès Nikiema achieved the highest reported score in her discipline, earning 18.73 out of 20. Adjaratou Bama led the mathematics category, while Aminata Traoré topped the physics category.
The Ministry of Higher Education said the competition aimed to promote female scientific excellence and challenge prejudices that discourage girls from pursuing science.
Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, who represented Traoré at the September 19 awards ceremony, defended the initiative as a way to challenge assumptions about girls’ abilities.
“The myth that girls have no place in scientific subjects or that they lack the ability to succeed in them is completely false,” he said.
The prime minister urged parents and teachers to encourage girls to pursue scientific subjects rather than allowing gender stereotypes to determine their educational choices.
He also called on the finalists to recognise their potential and pursue careers in science, technology and industry.
The government has identified scientific skills as important to Burkina Faso’s development, particularly as it seeks to strengthen its domestic technical capacity.
Presidential special adviser Floriane Ouédraogo/Zongo described HAKILI Mousso as an opportunity to encourage girls to pursue science and contribute to national sovereignty.
The government’s figures also highlighted the gender gap in scientific education. According to data cited by the Ministry of Higher Education, girls accounted for 36.7 per cent of enrolment in scientific programmes during the 2025–2026 academic year, compared with 59.5 per cent in non-scientific programmes.
The Ministry of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism announced the nationwide suspension on June 8 while it developed new regulations governing beauty competitions.
The ministry said the measure would help authorities establish a more consistent framework for organising pageants while protecting Burkina Faso’s cultural heritage, moral and social values, ethical principles and human dignity.
The suspension halted the issuance of new authorisations for beauty competitions across the country.
On October 7, Culture Minister Pingdwendé Gilbert Ouédraogo announced plans to lift the suspension and reorganise the competitions around Burkinabè cultural values.
“We want the girls who participate in beauty contests to promote their cultural values, so, for example, their outfits will be made from Faso Danfani or Kokô Dunda, while observing standards of decency,” he said, according to the Agence d’Information du Burkina.
The minister also highlighted traditional African hairstyles and said the revised competitions should promote Burkina Faso’s culture and local craftsmanship. He explained that the government wanted contestants to demonstrate more than physical beauty.
“It is simply a reorganisation because beauty contests should not be about showing physical beauty; they should instead be about showing what is in the head,” Ouédraogo said, drawing a comparison with HAKILI Mousso.
