Twenty years ago after the declaration and the Beijing Action Programme, the UN Secretary-Generalhighlights the progress made so far and the development perspectives. "The world will never realise 100 per cent of its goals if 50 per cent of its people cannot realise their potential, » said UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, in his message for International Women's Day, celebrated all over the world on 8 March 2015.



The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire, Mrs Aïchatou Mindaoudou, on Sunday, 8 March 2015, participated in official celebrations to mark International Women's Day in San Pedro, situated at 368 kilometres southwest of Abidjan. The ceremony was attended by the Ivorian Head of State, President Alassane Ouattara and his wife, Mrs Dominique Ouattara, patron of the event which was organised by the Minister of Solidarity, Family, Women and Children, Mrs Anne Désirée Ouloto. The Country Representatives of UN Women and UNESCO, Mrs Marie Nduwayo and Mr. Ydo Yao accompanied the Special Representative who delivered the message of the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, 20 years after the Beijing Conference on Women.



In his message, the UN Secretary-General highlighted the progress made in the last 20 years since the Beijing Conference in 1995 with regard to women's human rights while stressing what remains to be done. With regard to the progress made so far, Mr. Ban said that more girls had attained more access to more education than before and that the number of women dying in childbirth had almost halved. He said that more women were now leading businesses, governments and global organisations. However, he acknowledge that « the gains have been too slow and uneven, and that we must do far more to accelerate progress everywhere ».

The UN Secretary-General also urged the world to unite against the targeting of women and girls by violent extremists. He also highlighted the work of defenders of women's human rights who often and sometimes lose their lives in the process.

Mr. Ban Ki-Moon stressed the importance of women and girls in development and in building last peace after conflict. "They are the best drivers of growth, the best hope for reconciliation, and the best buffer against radicalisation of youth and the repitition of the cycles of violence ».



Ivorian Minister, Mrs Anne-Désirée Ouloto, in her speech, said that the 8 March 2015 was an occasion for the Ministry of Solidarity, Family, Women and Children to assess the actions undertaken by the Ivorian State since the Beijing Conference in 1995. «It is an opportunity for us to assess the improvement made so far in women's social condition and their full participation in national life by examining the progress made in the critical areas identified in the Action Plan produced at the end of the Beijing Conference, » she said.



For her part, the President's wife, Dominique Ouattara said : « The women of Côte d'Ivoire have decided to meet the challenge of the economic revival and social stability of the country », adding that « a woman is capable of transforming an ordinary object into a real treasure when she is provided with the means to do so ».

During the celebrations, Mrs Ouattara made several donations to women in the region with the aim of improving their lives. The day included artistic performances.