Residents of the Haoussadougou neighbourhood of Korhogo have been sensitized about the physical, medical and legal consequences of female genital mutilation (FGM).



The sensitization which was organized on 15 August 2014 in Korhogo, 580 km north of Abidjan, by the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI), the Legal Clinic and the NGO was targeted at women and religious leaders with the aim of changing their attitude toward FGM.

UN human rights official Salif Boite refuted the cultural, religious and social basis for FGM as well as the myths and aesthetic values associated with the practice. He spoke of the negative consequences of mutilation on women and young girls. "The suffering endured by women because of FGM calls for a halt to this inhuman practice," he stressed.

Francoise Kouakou Ngoran of the Legal Clinic highlighted the December 1998 law prohibiting all forms of violence against women in Cote d'Ivoire. "Anyone who commits FGM is liable to punishment by imprisonment of between one and five years and fines running between CFA 360, 000 to CFA 2 million (USD 720- USD 4000). This sentence is doubled if the perpetrator belongs to the medical corps," she warned.



On behalf of the 50 participants, Imam Sanogo Yaya of the Moslem community made a commitment not to support the practice of FGM and pledged to carry the message to the other communities.



Besides the Human Rights division, other components of UNOCI which took part in the campaign include the Public Information Office and UN Police as well the NGO which ensured that messages were interpreted in the local language.