The ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development (CCDG), in collaboration with Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Women, Family and Children, has launched a national training workshop aimed at enhancing the response to gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual harassment.
The three-day capacity-building programme, held from June 26 to 28, 2025, in Abidjan, is part of a regional strategy adopted in 2021 to eliminate violence against women and girls across West Africa.
The workshop brought together professionals from the judiciary, healthcare, and social services sectors to promote a coordinated and victim-centred approach to GBV. Participants received training on prevention, early detection, and comprehensive management of GBV cases.
Representing the Minister for Women, Chief of Staff Moussa Diarassouba emphasized the urgency of action. “These overwhelming figures are voices crying out for justice, redress and protection. Inaction is no longer an option,” he said, urging justice actors to ensure accountability and health workers to prioritize psychological and medical care for survivors.
ECOWAS Resident Representative in Côte d’Ivoire, Ambassador Fanta Cissé, commended national efforts to combat GBV and highlighted the need for greater regional solidarity. “The challenges are immense and require the combined efforts of all to achieve zero tolerance,” she stated.
Director of the CCDG, Sandra Oulaté-Fattoh, stressed the importance of equipping professionals with skills to identify and respond to all forms of violence. “Awareness of the various manifestations—physical, sexual, psychological, and economic—and the socio-cultural dynamics behind them is critical,” she noted.
According to official data, Côte d’Ivoire recorded 9,607 cases of GBV in 2024, affecting 7,950 women and 3,290 children. ECOWAS reports indicate that over 10% of women in the region experience some form of violence, a situation worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw a surge of up to 50% in some member states.
