16 October, 2019
73rd session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)

Posted at 14:20h in Western Africa by

July 4, 2019 

Geneva, July 2019

Joint Oral Statement of the Ivorian Coalition of Human Rights Defenders (CIDDH) and International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)

On the sidelines of the review of Côte d’Ivoire’s fourth periodic report Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), held on 5 July 2019 in Geneva, the Ivorian Coalition of Human Rights Defenders (CIDDH) and International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) produced a joint shadow report on the following priority themes:

  • Protection of Women Defenders 
  • Right to Women’s Health: Maternal Mortality 
  • Access to land ownership
  • Fight against violence against women 
  • Fight against discrimination against women
  • Representation of women in decision-making bodies 

As of 1 st July 2019, during the open session of the NGOs that have made oral statements, the Ivorian Coalition of Human Rights Defenders, made his oral statement (5 minutes) on the basis of the AC joint report CIDDH / ISHR with particular emphasis on three (03) priority themes: 

  • Protection of Women Defenders 
  • Right to Women’s Health: Maternal Mortality 
  • Access to land ownership

During the discussions, the National Coordinator of the Ivorian Coalition of Human Rights Defenders, Ms. Pédan Marthe COULIBALY, explained the content of the independent mechanism for monitoring the effective implementation of the National Law for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. how this mechanism could take into account the specific need of the Woman Defender of Human Rights.

Regarding women’s access to land, she said that because of cultural constraints in some areas, it is not permissible for women to own land.

She also clarified the procedure for issuing a land certificate a bit difficult for women who for the most part do not have financial autonomy and have insufficient financial resources. What constitutes a barrier to women’s access to land in addition to 

Regarding the education of girls, the Coordinator of the CIDDH noted that the current challenge is the retention of girls in school and the need to enable them to reach the university level. She recommended that scholarships be awarded to the best student girls and those whose parents are poor financially.

Also, it should be noted that International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW), which provided financial support for the participation of the CIDDH in the CEDAW / CEDAW session, initiated a lunch-briefing of Ivorian NGOs. present with the members of the CEDAW Committee. A meeting that allowed to discuss a lot of issues related to the rights of women in Côte d’Ivoire and raised during the oral statements of NGOs.

The National Coordinator of the CIDDH also participated as an observer in the session of the review of the fourth periodic report of Côte d’Ivoire for the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), on 5 July 2019 in Geneva.