At the initiative of the Regional Human Rights Office in Daloa of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), the town of Sinfra, situated at some 300 km from Abidjan, now has a human rights centre based within the grounds of its cultural centre. The building was completely rehabilitated and equipped by UNOCI as part of its Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) programme.



The keys to the building were officially handed over by Guy Marie Houndegbe, who represented the head of UNOCI in Sector West, on Friday, 16 May 2014 to the municipal authorities of Sinfra. The handover ceremony took place in the presence of Mr. Akpa Aimé Roland, secretary-general of the prefecture and a delegation of the National Commission of Francophonie.

The project, which cost more than 12 million FCFA, involved the rehabilitation of one of the buildings in the town's cultural centre, the purchase of 180 legal documents and books and providing four computers with Internet connection in an information room.



According to the head of the UNOCI delegation, the project is aimed at encouraging young people not only to respect human rights, but to also actively promote it. « I hope to see this centre serve as a meeting place, a place to exchange information and for training on the notion of human rights and international norms contained in the United Nations Charter, » said Mr. Houndegbe.



Mr. Drissa Bamba, the Mayor of Sinfra, who will be in charge of managing the centre expressed his gratitude to UNOCI for its constant support to Ivorian authorities in the quest for the normalisation of the country. « We will ensure that centre is really at the service of the people. We will also ensure that training is carried out so that people can have access to the justice system. » he promised.

Mrs Youzan Suzanne, a parent and resident of Sinfra welcomed the initiative. « Donating a human rights centre to Sinfra is going to give young people the opportunity to learn and understand the importance of human rights and renounce violence,» she said.