Community leaders of the Poro and Bagoue regions ended a 4-day seminar in the northern town of Korhogo on 17 October 2014 aimed at raising awareness about the rights of vulnerable people in society organized by the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and the Legal Clinic.

Topics treated included human rights, gender-based violence (GBV) and the protection of civilians.

Participants pledged, among other recommendations, to sensitise the population, religious and community leaders about child trafficking, the fight against impunity in matters related to violence against women and children, and the non-proliferation of light weapons.



They also recommended the popularization of laws relating to human rights and the protection of children; senitise parents on the right of children to education; the education of the girl-child and the consequences of pregnancy in the school environment as well as close collaboration between community leaders and the forces of law and order.

The chief of capacity-building programmes at the Legal Clinic in Korhogo, Inza Bamba said the workshop was organized within the framework of the Project to support and improve access to rights and justice in Cote d'Ivoire (PALAJ) and was aimed at building the ability of community leaders to identify human rights violations and gender-based violence in order to reinforce the respect of human rights.

The seminar, conducted by officials of UNOCI Human Rights and Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) divisions, comprised five modules including violation of human rights and its impact on international relations and social cohesion; child trafficking and the worst forms of child labour; the control and management of small caliber and light weapons for better social cohesion; sexual and reproductive health, forced and early marriages.