Côte d’Ivoire (S/2013/761)

During this meeting, the Security Council addressed the situation in Côte d’Ivoire including the thirty-third progress report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (S/2013/761). During this meeting, the Security Council heard from Ms. Aïchatou Mindaoudou Souleymane, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Côte d’Ivoire and Head of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire and Mr. Bamba, the representative of Côte d’Ivoire.

The meeting included one general reference to the women, peace and security agenda made by the representative of Côte d’Ivoire in which he discussed that the report recommends in particular the adoption of a gender perspective in the country’s overall policies.

During this meeting, the speakers missed the chance to incorporate a gender perspective, with an emphasis on women’s participation, to the following specific issues that were addressed: the socioeconomic reforms implemented by the government; the enactment of legislation on land tenure issues and nationality; the national reconciliation process in general; the security sector reform; the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process; the return of political refugees; the engagement of local and traditional leaders and the nomination of members of the corps préfectoral; organized crime; violence and violations of human rights; the illegal circulation of weapons; the development of benchmarks for sustainable peace; the upcoming presidential elections of 2015 and the related processes.

This meeting did not reflect any of the suggestions included in the January 2014 MAP[1] which called for comprehensive information on ongoing impunity, in particular for sexual and gender-based violence, and on barriers to women’s full participation in justice and reconciliation processes, as well as information regarding progress made in regards to women’s participation in DDR programs including the socio-economic factors affecting female ex-combatants and associates and women’s full participation and protection in security sector and judicial sector reform, as well as land reform.

This meeting, with one general reference to women peace and security concerns, can be considered as a slight improvement in comparison with the previous S/PV.7012 from 30 July 2013 where resolution 2112 (2013) was adopted and which didn’t include any references to women, peace and security.