particular concern for children and other vulnerable people, not to mention the abolition of death penalty previously applicable to children of 16, the prohibition of penalties, inhuman and degrading treatments but also equality of all before the law and justice (Article 3). The lack of a single code addressing issues of children's rights is a major challenge for aligning national legislation with the Convention. As part of its mission of disseminating legal information, the National Centre for Legal Documentation has however published in 2005 and regularly updated since a collection entitled "Children's rights in Côte d'Ivoire", which includes texts relating to the protection of child rights in the country. Studies have also been conducted in terms of compliance of national laws with international child protection standards (Comparative study CRC / ACRWC / National Laws, NGO Forum 2007) and in some areas of children's rights, particularly in juvenile justice (Reports on the minority, BICE 2003). The recommendations from these studies form the basis for conducting a thorough reflection on harmonization efforts to be made. A Commission for the Reform of Codes was set up within the Ministry of Justice, Human Rights and Public Freedoms, in order to review the Ivorian codes and to adapt to them the country’s social, economic and cultural evolution. In the same vein, as part of its prerogatives, the Children and Youth Judicial Protection Directorate works to strengthen the legislative and regulatory framework of the protection of minors who are in contact with the judicial system with the view to align our laws and regulations with international standards. In 2003, with the support of UNICEF, the Government of Côte d'Ivoire launched a process of developing a Children and Family Code and a draft was prepared with the contribution of all child protection stakeholders both governmental and non governmental. This process has unfortunately not been implemented in full. However, the authorities' willingness to provide the country with such a legal instrument is still relevant. Ivory Coast is a country of written law, only positive law is legal valid: customary law is not binding. However, it is clear that many issues related to the status of persons, including children, are set in some areas or some families according to customary rules. These practices are often discriminatory (for example, regarding the succession, inheritance, access to land) or harmful (persistence of female genital mutilation) and contrary to the provisions enacted by the legislature. In the absence of further study on the issue, it is difficult to assess the impact of these cultural practices, the task is made even more difficult because they vary according to cultural and ethnic areas. However, when disputes are brought before the courts, it is the civil laws that are binding on the parties and applied by the national courts. At legislative level, progress has been noted in terms of compliance of national provisions with the rights recognized by the Convention, including through the adoption of certain laws in favor of the Child, and the ratification and signature of agreements and international conventions. Hence we note the following: - International conventions: i. Convention No. 138 concerning Minimum age for admission to employment of 26 June 1973 ratified on January 21, 2002; ii. The ILO Convention No. 182 on the worst forms of child labor and immediate action for the elimination of 17 June 1999, ratified on January 21, 2002; iii. The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, whose ratification instruments were filed on June 18, 2007; RAPPORT INITIAL SUR LA MISE EN OEUVRE DE LA CHARTE AFRICAINE DES DROITS ET DU BIEN ÊTRE DE L'ENFANT 14