ABIDJAN, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The government of Cote d'Ivoire on Tuesday launched the 16 Days of Activism, a global campaign against gender-based violence, in the commune of Koumassi in Abidjan, the country's largest city.
The event brought together women's organizations, community leaders, youth associations and institutional partners, to strengthen protection for women and girls and mobilize communities against gender-based violence.
According to the organizers, the campaign will feature large-scale awareness initiatives, community dialogues, capacity-building workshops and advocacy targeting authorities to reinforce the protection of women's and girls' rights.
Minister of Culture and Francophonie Francoise Remarck read the government's statement at the event, in which she noted a resurgence of femicides and a sharp rise in "digital violence," including harassment, the misuse of intimate images and videos, hate speech, and identity theft.
The government is committed to a zero-tolerance policy toward all forms of gender-based violence, including rape, physical and sexual assault, female genital mutilation and forced marriage, she said. The West African country recorded 9,607 cases of gender-based violence in 2024, up from 7,919 in 2022.
Cote d'Ivoire adopted a national strategy to combat gender-based violence in 2014, which includes legislative reforms, institutional mechanisms, and strengthened human and material resources.
According to the government, from 2020 to 2024, 12 billion CFA francs (21.5 million U.S. dollars) were disbursed by the state for prevention and victim support.
The 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence, launched by the United Nations in 1991, is observed annually from Nov. 25 to Dec. 10. ■