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The US Embassy granted on Wednesday a total of US $70,500 to six local NGOs for projects to promote democracy and human rights in Cote d’Ivoire.
A women’s umbrella, La federation des organisations feminines de Cote d’Ivoire, received support to organise an information seminar for female political leaders to make them more aware of the importance of their role in political decision-making. Another recipient, Les Amis de la famille [Friends of the Family] plans to inform some 4,500 rural women in 22 villages on the country’s legal system, its representative, Elizabeth Koffi, said at the signing ceremony.
One of the country’s leading human rights groups, Le Mouvement ivoirien des droits de l’homme, received US $12,000 to provide psychological treatment and legal assistance to victims of rights abuse, and to train researchers. Another US $19,500 went to Tache d’Encre [Ink Spot], an association of cartoonists who, through their drawings, seek to promote freedom, tolerance and unity. Tache d’Encre targets primarily school-age children, its chairman, Zoro Lassane, told IRIN. Two other organisations, La Ligue ivoirienne des droits de l’hommme and Le Conseil superieur pour la culture We et Dan (The Superior Council for We and Dan Culture) also received support.
[The We and Dan are the two largest communities in western Cote d’Ivoire.]
Although the work of NGOs and civil society groups has been more visible in recent months, the organisations need more training in order to become active players in the socio-political arena, the US Embassy’s political officer, Richard Buangan, told IRIN.
The money allocated on Wednesday was drawn from the Democracy and Human Rights Fund which the embassy can use each year to support such projects.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
