Register, consent, security, individuals' rights: the reflexes to adopt.
A framework that applies to every organisation
In Burkina Faso, law no. 001-2021/AN governs the processing of personal data, under the supervision of the Commission de l'Informatique et des Libertés (CIL). Any organisation collecting data on customers, patients, beneficiaries or employees is concerned. This article gives general guidance; it is not legal advice.
Know what you process
The starting point is an inventory: what data, for what purposes, kept for how long, accessible by whom. This processing register is the basis of any compliance effort.
Inform and obtain consent
People must know why their data is collected and how to exercise their rights. When consent is the legal basis, it must be free, informed and traceable.
Secure
Access control, encryption, backups, logging: security is an obligation, not an option, especially for sensitive data such as health data.
Train your teams
Most incidents come from everyday habits: files sent by email, shared passwords. Regular awareness training is the most cost-effective investment.
