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As the country prepares for its next electoral cycle, the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) of Côte d’Ivoire has emphasized the urgent need for elections that fully uphold human rights and political ethics.
On Thursday, July 31, 2025, the CNDH convened a high-level meeting in Abidjan, bringing together focal points for human rights within political parties and groups. The session aimed to encourage dialogue on safeguarding human rights throughout the electoral process.
Presiding over the meeting, CNDH President Namizata Sangaré stated, “The election promises to be crucial, given the challenges linked to the current political context and the increasingly dynamic Ivorian political ecosystem.”
She underlined the importance of capacity-building for political actors to ensure respect for human rights across party platforms and electoral conduct.
Ms. Sangaré added that the session falls within the broader framework of the Support Program for the Strengthening of Democracy and Human Rights (PARDHE), designed to reinforce the CNDH’s mandate to promote, protect, and ensure respect for human rights.
“The CNDH intends, through this activity, to provide an opportunity to exchange on the principles and standards relating to human rights during electoral processes, as well as on the principles of political ethics,” she explained.
Traoré Drissa, Secretary General of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), reviewed key legal instruments governing human rights during elections, citing international charters as well as Ivorian laws.
“Perhaps we don’t know it, but it’s important that we know what the rules of social education are,” he said, stressing the critical role of civic awareness and education.
Professor Dion Yodé Simplice focused his remarks on political ethics, which he described as essential to preventing harmful rhetoric and actions. “Ethics in political action and electoral discourse help avoid abuses that threaten social cohesion, peace, and civic trust,” he stated.
The event brought together political parties, civil society organizations, and members of the Human Rights Forum. Participants widely praised the CNDH initiative and reaffirmed their commitment to free, fair, and inclusive elections rooted in respect for democratic principles and human dignity.
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