Women in Nanbolokaha want young girls to be educated, assistance from the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and other partners to develop income-generating activities which will give them financial independence. In addition, they want to increase sensitisation on gender-based violence. These were some of the recommendations that came out of an information and sensitisation session initiated by the UN Mission in collaboration with the NGO Grenier International on 16 July 2014, in Nanbolokaha, a village in the sous-préfecture of Tioro, situated at 570 km north of Abidjan.



Some 50 women took part in the activity whose aim was to sensitise women in the rural area on the fight to end gender-based, promote social cohesion, national reconciliation and local development.



After explaining the Mission's mandate to protect civilians, the regional offices of the Civil Affairs and Public Information Sections, as well as UN Police urged the women to work together in order to promote development in their area. In addition, the UNOCI delegation highlighted the harmful effects of female circumcision and forced marriage and urged the women to contribute to the education of young girls.

The president of the Women's Association of Nanbolokaha, Mrs Tortchia Tuo, said that « women in this area need a lot of things and that is why they have decided to come together not only to strengthen social cohesion but also to fight against poverty through income-generating activities ».



For her part, the president of the NGO Grenier International, Salimata Ouattara, highlighted the importance of women taking charge of their own destiny in order to « fight for the success of their own development and to become role models to the young girls of tomorrow ».



At the end of the discussions, the women, with the support of the village chief of Nanbolokaha, Sekongo Nadjo, pleaded with local authorities for the construction of a primary school, a health centre and running water in their village.