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Summary: The information below is based on the 2011 report of the Secretary-General to the Security Council (A/65/820-S/2011/250) issued on 23 April 2011. More information is available in the report.
Scroll down for UN documents on Children and Armed Conflict in Côte d’Ivoire. The prevalence of rape and other forms of sexual violence against children remains one of the many concerns in Côte d’Ivoire. Out of the 37 cases of sexual violence documented by the country task forces onmonitoring and reporting at the national level, 7 were perpetrated by Forces nouvelles elements in the north. In the west, most of the cases of rapes allegedly attributed to pro-Gbagbo militia groups occurred during road attacks, which has become a new concern in the region. Three cases were reported in May, June and October 2010. Generally, it was difficult to identify whether perpetrators belonged to militia groups, as most of them were in civilian clothing. In San Pedro, two members of the Fédération estudiantine et scolaire de Côte d’Ivoire, aged 17, who had been arrested on 12 March for their involvement in the kidnapping and gang-rape of one of their peers, were released. There were also concerns about the killing and maiming of children, with 23 cases recorded, of which 19 were verified. Of the 19, 11 cases occurred during the immediate post-electoral period mainly in the cities of Issia, Duékoué, Sinfra, Abidjan and Tiébissou. These cases were allegedly perpetrated by forces loyal to former president Laurent Gbagbo. The remaining allegations were not verified by the country task forces on monitoring and reporting at the time of writing, owing to the volatile security situation and the restrictions to movement of personnel in areas controlled by forces loyal to Mr. Gbagbo. The involvement of children in campaigning activities and political demonstrations during the weeks leading up to the elections exposed them to reprisals, and in some cases resulted in children being physically harmed. In order to address this concern, the Forces nouvelles Chief of Staff and Integrated Command Centre officials were requested to instruct their personnel to ensure children are protected from any potential risks of violence or manipulation that are against their best interests. A worrying trend of youth militarization was observed, particularly after the run-off election on 28 November 2010. Young people were recruited in various localities, notably in Abidjan, Bouaflé, Daloa, San Pedro, the Agnéby region, Vavoua and Zuénoula, which are areas controlled by forces loyal to Mr. Gbagbo. Some were brought to Abidjan to undergo rapid military training in designated centres. There were also reports of forced abductions of youth who were taken to training centres. Upon completion of their training, some of the youth were sent to the field with military uniforms and weapons. In Yamoussoukro, the Compagnie des Scorpions Guetteurs, a militia group led by a Young Patriot, was reactivated, and reportedly recruited youth to infiltrate areas controlled by the Forces nouvelles. UN documents on Children and Armed Conflict in Côte d’Ivoire: