COTE D'IVOIRE - WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT, FOLLOW UP TO

UNCLAS ABIDJAN 000247 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT OF STATE FOR SASHA MEHRA AND GERDA LANE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWMN PHUM PREL UNGA IV SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE - WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT, FOLLOW UP TO SEC. RICE STRATEGY SESSION REF: SECSTATE 06 178055 ¶1. On February 21, Post received a diplomatic note from the Ministry of Family and Social Affairs responding to Post's September 23, 2006 diplomatic note outlining questions presented in reftel. ¶2. Minister Jeanne Peuhmond indicated that the Government of Cote d'Ivoire is in the process of drafting a Declaration of National Policy on the Equality of Opportunity. This policy, as drafted, would permit affirmative action and new strategies to remedy the lack of women in science, mathematics and high technologies and provide budget support for initiatives designed to stimulate economic opportunities among those historically at the margins of the economy. ¶3. The draft policy would also ensure that at least 30 percent of representatives to peace talks and in organizations designed to maintain the peace and stability in Cote d'Ivoire (disrupted since the 1999 coup and turbulent aftermath ever since) be women. Hooks