The mobile campaign team of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), known as ONUCI Tour, made a stopover in the village of Douandrou II, 550 km north-west of Abidjan in the sub Prefecture of Zeo in Bangolo on 15 November 2013 to sensitise its inhabitants on the prevention of land conflicts and respect of human rights.



"{Land ownership in rural areas has become the greatest source of conflict in villages}," UNOCI Civil Affairs representative told the population. "{Structures such as the village committee for the management of rural lands are organs that have been put in place to prevent and settle all conflicts related to lands}," he said, adding that the existence of such organs ought to help put an end to problems linked to land ownership. "{The respect of the native laws and customs of others is essential for the preservation of social cohesion among you}," he concluded.

For his part, the representative of the Public Information Office reminded the population that UNOCI's mandate includes among other things, the protection of civilians and children, the fight against violence female genital mutilation, as well as supporting the Ivorian government in its disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme and reform of the security sector.



UNOCI security officer urged the villagers to contribute to the management of their own security by making themselves available and collaborating with UNOCI security experts and the local defence and

security forces. He said UN Police were contributing to the restoration of a lasting peace through the protection and promotion of human rights.



The representative of the Human Rights Division highlighted the duties of the population and urged them to join the fight to end violence against women. "{You have duties toward your society such as the protection of the lives of citizens of the village, the education of children irrespective of their sex. But at the same time, you must stop the physical aggression of women and children and abolish female circumcision which causes a lot of problems for women,}" he concluded.