“Don’t forget about us!” – Survivors in Côte d’Ivoire work with the Murad Code project to release a groundbreaking self-made advocacy video in the lead up to elections

In the run up to crucial elections in Côte d'Ivoire, a group of survivors of sexual violence linked to past conflicts there are speaking out in a groundbreaking self-made advocacy video. Their message is clear: as the country looks to the future, it must not turn its back on those whose lives were shattered during the various crises. Justice, reparation and support can wait no longer.

“We too want to move into the future, move into social cohesion, rebuild and live independently. But our lives stopped that day”, you can hear them say in the video.

The video, which was broadcast on networks on 19 May 2025, is innovative in that it was conceived, written and produced by the survivors themselves after discussions about their rights as reflected in the Murad Code. The video gives voice to stories too often silenced about the devastating and unremedied effects of the widespread sexual violence that has marked each of the crises experienced by Côte d'Ivoire. In just three minutes, the survivors capture our attention, reminding us that they need and are entitled to the support of Ivorian citizens - and the state - to access the help they need to rebuild their lives, reintegrate their communities and support their families. They appeal to the authorities and to their fellow citizens: “Don't forget about us! Keep your promises of justice and reparation.”

The Murad Code project worked with these survivors to make their call for dignified treatment, reparation and assistance heard through social networks.

Background

In 2014 the Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation Commission (CDVR) identified 1,359 cases of sexual violence, while the National Commission for Reconciliation and Compensation of Victims (CONARIV) verified 2,969 cases of gender-based violence. CONARIV also made a series of recommendations to the government for reparations, accompanied by an initial list of registered victims (316,954). However, only a fraction of these people actually received reparations, and the measures granted fell far short of the Commission's recommendations, often failing to address even the most urgent needs of survivors.

It is precisely this failure by the Ivorian state to meet its obligations that led the ECOWAS Court of Justice to rule in favour of four survivors last April. In its decision, the Court found that Côte d'Ivoire had violated the fundamental rights of these victims of sexual violence, including their right to an effective remedy and access to justice, their physical and moral integrity, their dignity, their personal safety, their health, as well as their right to have their case heard.