UNICEF: Reducing gender-based violence in Côte d'Ivoire

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/cotedivoire_53022.html

ABIDJAN, Côte d'Ivoire, 15 March 2010 While Côte d'Ivoire is steadily working towards a sustainable peace after years of conflict, many children and women continue to be victims of rape and other forms of gender-based violence here.

A significant number of girls and women in Côte d'Ivoire have been victims of sexual violence at least once in their lifetimes. And between 2007 and 2008, the number of reported cases of such violence increased dramatically.

As a result of the political and social conflict, a cultural violence has developed, which is worsened by a weak implementation of the law, said UNICEF Côte d'Ivoire Chief of Child Protection Laetitia Bazzi.

Law enforcement is still inadequate in Côte dIvoire, and perpetrators of sexual violence are too rarely condemned or brought to trial.

There are a lot of difficult issues, and any improvements we make takes a lot of work and time, said UNICEF Representative in Côte dIvoire Maarit Hirvonen. We are working here at UNICEF with the communities and with social workers, and trying to change behaviour and attitudes, and reinforce the application of the law.

As the country continues to move forward, UNICEF aims to ensure that Côte d'Ivoires children will soon be able to live and play without fear of violence.

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• UNICEF
• Côte
• d'Ivoire
• gender-based
• violence
• women
• rape
• girls
• protection