In an effort to promote and protect women's right as well as their political, economic and social emancipation, the the Organisation of Active Women of Côte d'Ivoire (OFACI), on 1 and 2 October 2013, organised a regional seminar on the national and international mechanisms for the protection of women's rights in Abengourou, 210 km, east of Abidjan. The training seminar, in which some 30 female participants from the eastern region and 20 community leaders from Abengourou took part, was financed by the United States Embassy and conducted by the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI).



Using a participative method, the representative of UNOCI's regional human rights office in Bondoukou, trained participants on human rights and transitional justice, national and international instruments for the protection of women's rights, gender-based violence and female genital mutilation. Each presentation on different themes was followed by discussions on practical cases and concerns raised by participants.

The representative for the human rights regional office in Bondoukou also highlighted the responsibilities of community leaders to act as vectors of sensitisation and catalysts for social change. "{You as leaders of the communities have to become involved in the fight for the respect of women's rights and guarantee their emancipation in society," }he told them.



He then urged the women leaders to put in practice the information they had received and promote their rights and and the national and international texts that guarantee their protection.

For its part, UNOCI's Public Information Office sensitised the participants on the culture of peace, reconciliation and strengthening social cohesion.



At the end of the seminar, UNOCI and OFACI distributed national and international texts on the protection of women's rights and actions carried out by the UN Mission to promote peace in Côte d'Ivoire.