Côte d'Ivoire/Fifty young people trained in sexual and reproductive health

Fifty young U-Reporters from 11 localities in the departments of Kong, Tehini, Doropo and Bouna took part in training on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and gender-based violence (GBV) at a workshop held from March 20 to 25, 2025 in Kong.

This initiative, carried out by the NGO Alternative communautaire pour un développement durable (ACDD), is part of the "Prevention and management of HIV and GBV among women, children, adolescents and young people in the Tchologo, Poro and Bounkani regions" project.vention, prise en charge du VIH et des VBG chez les femmes, les enfants, les adolescents et les jeunes dans les régions du Tchologo, du Poro et du Bounkani", and is funded by UNICEF.

The main aim of the training is to build the capacity of U-Reporters so that they in turn can effectively sensitize and mobilize their communities on major issues such as sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, GBV and human rights, with the aim of bringing about social and behavioral change.

Project coordinator Madoussou Diabagaté stressed the importance of this activity for the rural populations of the northern border zone, already weakened by the phenomenon of violent extremism. "Through this training, we aim to reduce certain harmful practices, in particular early and forced marriages and female genital mutilation, for the well-being of society", she affirmed.

One of the workshop participants, Kambiré Hoho Odile, said she was determined to continue raising awareness in her community. "Girls and boys have the same chances of success, we must no longer make distinctions between them. We're going to continue raising awareness among our parents," she declared.

At the same time, eleven field agents also benefited from this training, to improve the interventions and services of the U-Reporters in the localities concerned.

Source: www.aip.ci/