The First Lady, Dominique Ouattara proceeded to the inauguration of the reception center for children in distress in Soubré. The inauguration ceremony of this center took place in the compound of the said structure, on Thursday, June 07, 2018, in the presence of Mr. Jean-Claude Kouassi, Minister of Employment and Social Protection, Chairman of the Inter-ministerial Committee for the Fight against Trafficking, Exploitation and Child Labor (CIM), Ms. Mariatou Koné, Minister of Family, Child Protection and Solidarity and Vice President of the CIM, representatives of institutions and NGOs involved in the fight against child labor and the people of Soubré.
Built by the Children Of Africa Foundation, this center is the first of three (03) that the NGO of Mrs. Dominique Ouattara has planned to build in Soubré, Bouaké and Ferkéssédougou. Its realization is an adequate response to the lack of transit and supervision structures for child victims of trafficking and exploitation in Côte d'Ivoire before their integration into their families of origin. Today, it is now possible to properly care for children who have been taken from the hands of traffickers.
After the Mother and Child Hospital, the realization of this first reception center for child victims of trafficking and exploitation in Soubré brings on the one hand a dynamic breath of fresh air to the fight against child labor in this area of high cocoa production, and on the other hand, it demonstrates the importance of the commitment of Mrs. Dominique Ouattara in her fight for the improvement of life and the defense of children's rights.
This commitment was expressed by Mrs. Dominique Ouattara, President of the Children Of Africa Foundation, during her speech, through the enumeration of measures taken to remedy the phenomenon of trafficking, exploitation and child labor. The President of the CNS also emphasized the importance and positive impact of the realization of this reception center on the fight against the worst forms of child labor.
"We also focused on protection and assistance, which is another important axis. Indeed, it was essential to manage to take care of the children victims of trafficking and exploitation in complete safety, once they are taken from the hands of traffickers. The realization of this objective necessarily required the construction of a reception center adapted to the social reintegration and the care of the child victims. The objective is to promote their psychological support and their reintegration into the family unit," she said. In addition, the First Lady appealed to the partners involved in the fight against child labor to intensify the fight against this phenomenon. "For the well-being and development of our children, no sacrifice is too great, that is why I would like to launch a solemn appeal to all our partners, so that the efforts for the elimination of the worst forms of child labor in our country, are accentuated," she pleaded. For the wife of the Head of State, this means strengthening access to school for all children living in Côte d'Ivoire and improving the living conditions of producers.
The reception center for children in distress in Soubré was built on a one hectare site. It has a total capacity of 64 beds, including two 32-bed dormitories for girls and two 32-bed dormitories for boys. It also has management offices, a medical and social center, as well as several classrooms and training workshops. The children also have a multimedia room, a library, a canteen, a multipurpose room and a sports field. A guided tour of the center ended the inauguration ceremony.
