- - organization of an information and sensitization campaign for target families and populations, and crackdown on persons who indulge in such activities. Similarly, various steps taken in the same regard have to do with the following: - - fight against poverty through the setting up of a Fund devoted to income-generating activities since March, 2012 called the Assistance Fund for Women in Cote d'Ivoire (FAFCI). Thanks to this fund, more than one million women were able to initiate projects which enabled them to meet their financial needs, and improvement in health coverage and free mother-and-child care since the end of the post-election crisis, free Caesarean section… The National Assembly has also made the ‘’promotion of gender’’ part of priority strategic thrusts, within the framework of the inclusive and forward-looking-oriented dynamic it intends to inculcate among its members. 2- Principle of Equality and Non-Discrimination (Article 3 of the Charter). Article 2 of the Constitution of Cote d’Ivoire provides that ‘’all human beings are born free and equal before the law.’’ Commitment to this principle which goes in tandem with non-discrimination is given expression to by the signing and ratification of international instruments like the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol). 3- Participation of Women in Political Life and Decision-Making Bodies Over the last few years, the Ivorian Government has been committed to the promotion of the participation of women in political life and decision-making bodies. This political will was given expression to by the appointment of women and the possibility for them to access positions hitherto reserved for men. For example, for the first time, a woman has been appointed to the position of Chancellor, while another has been promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General. In addition, the position of Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly is held by a woman, while there are 25 female MPs out of a total of 225 in the Chamber, representing 11.11 %. In addition to the foregoing, the 2015 presidential election witnessed the participation of two women. The following tables present the percentage of representation of women on decision-making bodies since 1995: Table: Representation of Women on Decision-Making Bodies (in % of total) Indicators 1995 2001 2003 Female Members of Government 8.33 21.4 15.38 2012 / 2013 17.24 Sources Female Parliamentarians 8 8.5 8.52 11.11 National Assembly Female Mayors 5.1 5 4.54 10.65 Local Government Department Economic and Social Council 11 10.8 19.17 27.5 Gazette Economic and Social Council 42

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