Some 150 people on 3 December 2014 participated in an information and sensitisation session known as ONUCI Tour organised in Sakassou, situated 42 km from Bouaké, by the different sections of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI). The session was followed by questions and answers which gave participants the opportunity to learn more about UNOCI's mandate and activities, as well as its accompanying role with regard to the Ivorian Government.



UNOCI officials also used the occasion to sensitise participants on the need to respect human rights, the harmful effects of sexual and gender-based violence (GBV), human security and disarmament and community reinsertion projects. The ways and means of strengthening social cohesion and promoting a peaceful electoral environment for elections scheduled in October 2015 were also discussed.

The event was attended by the Prefect, Ange Kouakou Tchikaya, UNOCI head of Sector East Office, Donatella Giubilaro, the Mayor, Eugene Kouadio Kouakou, members of the local administrative authorities, traditional and religious leaders, members of women's and youth associations and immigrant communities living in Sakassou.



« UNOCI accords particular importance to this kind of event whose objective is to promote a peaceful electoral climate in 2015., » said Mrs Giubilaro. She reiterated that the whole of the United Nations in Côte d'Ivoire was ready to support the Ivorian authorities in this regard.





For her part, Edwige Flora Touali from UNOCI's Human Rights Division sensitised participants on human rights, adding that without the respect for human rights i twill impossible to have social cohesion and lasting peace.



Mamadou Touré, from UNOCI's Security Sector Reform Division, in his presentation, made a link between peace, development and security. « RSS is a project which aims to protect people living in Côte d'Ivoire from fear and need. It also provides the security forces and the population to contribute together to strengthening the rule of law, human rights and promote gender equality, » he said.

On the issue of the forthcoming elections, the Public Information Officer, Cécile Senghor, encouraged participants not to allow themselves to be divided and to instead cultivate political tolerance which means that everyone should respect each other's choice and accept the election results as announced by the Independent Electoral Commission which is the sole arbiter.



Earlier, the Prefect and the Mayor had welcomed UNOCI's initiative in organising the information and sensitisation session.



During the traditional questions and answers session, the representatives of UNOCI's Civil Affairs and Disarmament, Demoblisation and Reintegration (DDR) responded to people's concerns about the financing of community insertion projects and the Mission's support to ex-combatants.



At the end of the session the spokespersons for the youths, women and community and traditional leaders delivered peace messages during which they urged everyone to do all they can to create the right conditions for the organisation of peaceful elections.