Cote d’Ivoire / UNOCI advocates for a peaceful electoral environment during a civic education campaign for women in Divo.
ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire, March 24, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The launching of a civic education and sensitization of women campaign in Divo on Saturday, 20 March 2010 by the Eburnie Women’s Organization for Peace (OFEP), was an occasion for the United Nations Operations in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI) to explain its role in the electoral process and the promotion of a peaceful electoral environment.
Various representatives of UNOCI exchanged views with the women on the mandate of the UN Mission and the logistical and technical support it provides for the institutions in charge of elections in Cote d’Ivoire. They urged Ivorians to work to create a peaceful electoral environment on an individual and collective level.
The OFEP awareness campaign was primarily aimed at educating the women on their rights and duties and to “spur them to take the lead in educating men on the culture of peace,” according to the coordinator of OFEP, Beatrice Kouaho.
Welcoming the initiative, Etoile Kazeruke of UNOCI’s Regional Electoral Office said that the women’s campaign was in line with the sensitization of women on the culture of peace and democracy which promotes a peaceful electoral environment.
In the same vein, the chief of staff of the president of the general council, Sekouri Djedje Jean-Baptiste, described the initiative as an appreciable contribution to the support of democracy. He said he was pleased with the choice of Divo and the timing of the campaign “because our Divo is hardly covered by the media; of all the events that take place in Cote d’Ivoire, Divo presents a certain image for which we are all guilty”.
The president of the Ivorian Foundation for Human Rights and Monitoring of Political Life, Boga Sako Gervais, explained the basic notions of democracy and citizenship. He demonstrated the importance of women in maintaining social stability and the role they can play in resolving the Ivorian crisis.
The ceremony was closed by Mrs. Brou Agnes of the regional prefect’s office who suggested the formation of a coalition of women of the district, and possibly the region to meet the local authorities and elites to discuss ways of establishing a peaceful electoral environment.
SOURCE
Mission of UN in Côte d’Ivoire
