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Claiming Human Rights - in Côte d'Ivoire

The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire is a member of the United Nations and the African Union. It has ratified many UN Human Rights Conventions (compare list on the right) and thus has made binding international commitments to adhere to the standards laid down in these universal human rights documents.

Côte d'Ivoire is a French-speaking country in West Africa. The middle-sized country of 322,460 square km borders the Atlantic Ocean to its south. On a global scale, its population density is medium. The capital of the country, which became independent on 7 August 1960 from France, is Yamoussoukro. Côte d'Ivoire is a member of the regional economic communities ECOWAS and CEN-SAD.

With a Human Development Index of 0.48 Côte d'Ivoire ranks 163rd of 182 countries ranked in the UNDP Human Development Report of 2009. Life expectancy of the 20.6 million inhabitants at birth is 58 years, population growth is 2.3 percent per year. GNI is 980 US-$ per capita. External debt is 73.6 percent of gross national income. Primary school enrolment is 54.9 percent.

In as far as Côte d'Ivoire has ratified the Optional Protocols for UN Human Rights Conventions or has accepted the Competence of the corresponding UN Treaty Bodies (compare list on the right), the inhabitants of Côte d'Ivoire and their representatives are able to invoke their human rights through these bodies.

All inhabitants of Côte d'Ivoire may turn to the UN Human Rights Committee through procedure 1503, to the Special Rapporteurs for violations of specific human rights or to ECOSOC for women's rights violations.

Since Côte d'Ivoire is a member state of UNESCO, its citizens may use the UNESCO procedure for human rights violations in UNESCO's fields of mandate.

Employers' or workers' and certain other organizations (not individuals) of Côte d'Ivoire may file complaints through the ILO procedure in the cases of those conventions which Côte d'Ivoire has ratified.

Since Côte d'Ivoire is an AU member, its citizens and NGOs may file complaints to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

They may also file complaints according to the EU guidelines (on Human Rights Defenders, Death Penalty and Torture) to Embassies of EU Member States and the Delegations of the European Commission.

In cases of human rights violations by multinational enterprises, they may also invoke the National Contact Point in an OECD member state.

Côte d'Ivoire has not yet joined the International Criminal Court.

Signature:   Ratification: 1992 (accession) Reservations: no/non Signature optional protocol:   Ratification optional protocol: 1997 (accession) Reservations: no/non Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature:   Ratification: 1992 (accession) Reservations: no/non Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature:   Ratification: 1973 (accession) Reservations: no/non Competence CERD acknowledged: no/non Last State report: 2002 Last concluding observations: 2003  
Signature: 1980 Ratification: 1995 Reservations: no/non Signature optional protocol:   Ratification optional protocol:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations: 2011  
Signature:   Ratification: 1995 (accession) Reservations: no/non Article 22 competence acknowledged:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature: 1990 Ratification: 1991 Reservations: no/non Last State report: 2000 Last concluding observations: 2001  
Signature:   Ratification:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature:   Ratification:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature: 2007 Ratification:   Reservations:   Signature optional protocol: 2007 Ratification optional protocol:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Ratification Banjul Charter: 1992 Ratification Protocol African Court: 2003 Ratification Children's Charter: 2002 Ratification Maputo Protocol:   Last State report:    
International Criminal Court joined: no/non  
Country Rapporteur: no/non  
National Human Rights Institute: no/non  

Last change: 28.01.10 - 11:58