Camer360

Ouagadougou, September 3, 2025 — Burkina Faso’s Transitional Legislative Assembly (ALT) has unanimously adopted a sweeping new Family and Persons Code (CPF), replacing legislation that had been in place for more than 30 years.

The new code, passed by all 71 deputies present, contains 1,113 articles across three parts, 17 titles, and 56 chapters. It addresses personal and family law, succession, nationality, and the regulation of civil status, aiming to modernize and harmonize legal provisions.

Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala explained that the reforms were designed to correct decades-old shortcomings, eliminate contradictory legal interpretations, and align national law with international conventions ratified by Burkina Faso.

Among the most notable innovations:

• Digitization of civil status: introduction of electronic registration and digital management of personal data, along with a unique identification number.
• Nationality: marriage to a Burkinabè no longer automatically grants nationality; only a certificate of nationality will serve as proof.
• Marriage age: set at 18 years for both men and women, with exceptions possible only by judicial dispensation.
• Civil majority: fixed at 18 years.
• Customary and religious marriages: now eligible for official transcription under the law.

The code also bans practices deemed contrary to family structure, explicitly targeting the promotion of homosexual relations and related behaviors, with penalties ranging from two to five years in prison.

In presenting the bill, Minister Bayala hailed the adoption as “a response to the deep aspirations of our society, combining legal innovation, respect for cultural values, and the will to build a fairer and more united Burkinabè family.”

Observers say the new CPF reflects both modern legal principles and strong cultural conservatism, positioning Burkina Faso within a regional trend of tightening restrictions on same-sex relations while introducing broader reforms to civil and family law.