In Côte d’Ivoire, one woman in three is a victim of excision. This practice affects all social groups, in the city or in the countryside, and puts women in great physical, psychological, and social suffering. Treatment is not free or reimbursed and women who dare to denounce this violence are often stigmatized. The law prohibits excision, but it is very rarely applied in practice and is not accompanied by prevention. Above all, it is getting worse, such as excising more and more babies because they do not speak out and do not denounce the violence. The Ivorian government does not have a clear-cut position on the subject and relies mainly on associations to fight against this practice.
Marie-Claire Kakpotia Moraldo has set up a branch of her association Les Orchidées Rouges in Abidjan to support these women victims of sexual mutilation. The association offers women who have been victims of excision, forced marriages or sexist and sexual violence comprehensive and unconditional support to enable them to rebuild their lives physically, socially, and psychologically.
The association Les Orchidées rouges welcomes women and young girls who are victims of excision and forced marriage, and support them in an intercultural approach, in their overall reconstruction, until their social and professional (re)integration.
