Abidjan, 26 October 2009... The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General for Côte d'Ivoire, Y. J. Choi, on Monday opened a four-day workshop on the "Prevention of acts of sexual abuses and assistance to victims" at the headquarters of the UN mission in Abidjan.

Mr. Choi underlined the United Nations' zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, and invited the focal points to alert the mission on possible cases involving its staff. He also emphasized the importance of preventing sexual abuse and of providing assistance to victims.

The Chief of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) also briefed the 40 participants on the positive developments in the peace process in Côte d'Ivoire in the run-up to the presidential election.

Jointly organized by UNOCI and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the workshop is aimed mainly at providing the participants, who come mainly from civil society and the ministries of Justice and the Family, with the tools they need to become focal points and establish a network among them with a view to preventing and responding professionally to sexual abuse allegations.

Two experts from New York will train the participants and help them to implement an action plan in order to better fight against such abuses and strengthen the capacity of the participants so that they can more effectively prevent and raise awareness on sexual abuse.

Mrs. Christine Bendel, an expert from UNDP in New York and a representative of the inter-organizational working group stressed the importance of the focal points' adapting the tools they receive. "When you have the expertise, it will then be a question of adapting it to the local, national and regional contexts," she said.

The acting head of the Conduct and Discipline Section and initiator of the workshop, Maria Rocheteau, noted that in Côte d'Ivoire, although the allegations are not numerous, it is important to work on the prevention of sexual abuse and exploitation. "If there are victims, we have to give them legal, psychological and medical assistance," she added. Mrs. Rocheteau also underlined the importance of closely collaborating with civil society within the framework of rational and effective work.