Pope Francis, Secretary of State John Kerry, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were among those said to be likely to win this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. Few prognosticators could have heard of the civil-society groups that make up the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, let alone have imagined that they would be awarded the prize.

Sustained anti-government rallies in Thailand, Ukraine and Venezuela have captured the attention of millions. But large pro-democracy demonstrations in Burkina Faso last month largely escaped the Western media’s radar. Since January, tensions have flared between the West African country’s authoritarian government and the impoverished masses yearning for democratic reforms. Depending on how developments unfold, the protests in Burkina Faso could serve as a catalyst for further uprisings in the region.