More than 500 women in Bouaké, members of different political parties, reunited within a Platform, want to contribute to maintaining a climate of peace and non-violence during forthcoming elections in Côte d'Ivoire. They expressed their desire to do so on Saturday, 3 October 2015, at the launch of their Platform's activities in the presence of several traditional, religious and administrative authorities, including the second secretary-general of Bouaké préfecture, Lobouo Hortense Amani.



The initiative was made possible thanks to the Political Affairs Division of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and financial support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).



According to UNOCI's Political Affairs Officer in Sector in East, Xavier Blais, the activity was a follow-up to a training programme initiated by his Division in May this year for women leaders of political parties in an effort to encourage them to participate in public life. At the end of the training programme, the women made a commitment to set up a Platform to promote elections without violence.



So on Saturday, 3 October, it was a question of the women leaders of political parties, both Government and Opposition with their slogan « With peaceful elections, its Côte d'Ivoire who wins » to deliver messages of peace and urge their parties' supporters to promote a peaceful environment.



We can be political adversaries and still talk to each other



For Miezan Coulibaly, a member of the Women's Association of the Rally of Republicans -Rassemblement des Républicains (RDR) of Bouaké, the setting up of the Platform has led to breaking the wall of mistrust which existed between the women of the political parties. '' Before we were hardly speaking to each other. WE did not trust each other. However with the training we received from UNOCI we now have a different approach to politics. We can be political adversaries and still talk to each other, » she explained. Her words were echoed by Madeleine Diby of the Ivorian Popular Front - Front Populaire Ivoirien (FPI) party. In addition, Valérie N'Dri from the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire - Parti Démocratique de Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI) envisages increasing sensitisation on the ground with the intention of urging women to campaign for elections without violence.