When the IBCR offered me a communications assignment in Côte d'Ivoire with the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), I enthusiastically accepted. As someone of Ivorian origin, I have always wanted to build bridges between my adopted country, Canada, and Côte d'Ivoire by contributing in a tangible way to its development. This assignment offered me the opportunity to apply my skills to a cause that is close to my heart: the protection of children's rights. 

Within the CNDH, my mandate focuses on three main areas: assessing existing practices, developing an appropriate communication strategy, and implementing effective communication procedures and tools to support the noble objectives of this institution, whose mission is to promote, protect, and defend human rights. 

At the same time, I have been tasked with supporting activities launched in 2022 as part of the social laboratory in Côte d'Ivoire. This ambitious project brings together three IBCR partner organisations : the Forum des ONG et Associations d'Aide à l'Enfance en Difficulté , the Association des Femmes Juristes de Côte d'Ivoire, and the CNDH. Together, they are developing new approaches to advance child protection and ensure respect for children's rights. It was within this context that we organised a discussion session on Thursday, 20 February 2025, at the CNDH premises—a day rich in exchanges and new perspectives. 

The situation of children's rights in Côte d'Ivoire : a daily struggle 

Although Côte d'Ivoire ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1991 and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) in 2002, thereby strengthening its legal framework, sexual, psychological, and emotional violence against children remains a major challenge. In 2022, the national GBV data collection system recorded 7,919 reported cases, nearly 79% of which involved children under 18. The following year, the statistical yearbook of the Ministry of Women, Family and Children reported 6,142 cases of sexual violence in secondary schools and 122 in primary schools, particularly affecting girls in Year 5. 

This violence is often perpetuated in silence, fuelled by out-of-court settlements, fear of reporting, deeply entrenched cultural norms, and a glaring lack of information on available support services. Victims—already physically and emotionally scarred—often find themselves deprived of justice and redress, which has a lasting impact on their mental and physical health. Faced with this reality, urgent action is required. 

An initiative to give children a voice 

It is in this context that, at the instigation of the IBCR, meetings between organisations led to the development of an initiative entitled: “The Active Participation of Children in the Legal and Judicial Response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Côte d'Ivoire.” The objective is clear: to involve children in their own protection by making them agents of change. To achieve this, the partner organisations intend to implement a three-step programme. 

The first step is to train 20 children aged 8 to 18, identified through local associations. These “champions” will be trained to understand the child protection system and overcome their fears so they can safely report violence. Together with them, we will create accessible educational modules on victim support, also involving their parents to reinforce the impact. 

The second step is collaborative: the children will produce short videos and awareness-raising posters. These materials will be widely disseminated on social media, partner websites, in schools, and among protection services, reaching a broad audience with messages designed by and for children. 

Finally, the third step aims to sustain the initiative by ensuring continued dissemination of the materials once the project ends. This approach will empower children and strengthen their confidence to take action to protect themselves. 

By placing them at the heart of the strategy, we help amplify their voices—voices that, I hope, will contribute to changing attitudes and building a society where every child can grow up in safety and dignity. I look forward to moving into the implementation phase of the project, acting, and making a meaningful impact through the Volunteer Cooperation Programme. 

*The opinions, ideas and statements expressed in the blog posts of contributors are those of the author and may not reflect the organisational identity or programmatic focus of the IBCR. 

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