The UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) in collaboration with the Human Rights club of College Anne Dominique and the Ivorian Association for Family Wellbeing (AIBF) on 8 March 2014 organized a meeting in Yamoussoukro, 240 km north of Abidjan to sensitise secondary school pupils about peace, non-violence, gender-based violence and the fight against pregnancy in the school environment. The meeting was held to mark the launching of the human rights club of the college.
Representatives of UNOCI's HumanRrights and Public Information offices and the AIBF were the main speakers at the event. Cecile Senghor of the Public Information Office used practical examples from daily life in school to explain values and attitude which the pupils should adopt by rejecting violence and using dialogue as a means of settling differences. She also stressed on values such as tolerance, democracy, non-violence solidarity, respect for the environment and human rights.
Guy Claude Aka of the Human Rights Office explained the principles of human rights and gender-based violence such as domestic violence, traditional malpractices such as female genital excision and rape. He told them how to seek redress in case of human rights violations and about legislation protecting human rights. "Rape is a crime and its perpetrators are severely punished by the law. You must report cases of rape to the police, the gendarmerie or UNOCI if you are a victim or a witness," he advised them.
The AIBF regional coordinator, Alain Kipre disclosed alarming statistics on the rate of pregnancy in schools and their causes. "In 2011/2012, 2936 cases of school pregnancies were reported in Cote d'Ivoire," he said. He called on the pupils to exercise abstinence or as a last resort, use contraceptive methods.
The director of studies of the college, Joseph Yoboue and the president of the
human rights club Aya Josiane Konan thanked UNOCI for assisting them in their efforts to promote human rights.
The event ended with a question and answer session followed by the award of prizes donated by UNOCI.
