The World Customs Organization (WCO), in partnership with the customs administration of Côte d'Ivoire, organized from November 11 to 13, 2024 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, a monitoring mission on the implementation of gender equality and diversity (GED) in Customs.

This mission was completed under the framework of the West Africa Security Project (WASP), more specifically under its component dedicated to gender equality and diversity (GED). This project, funded by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, is a collaboration between the WCO and the German Central Customs Administration. Its objective is to promote a working environment that respects differences and guarantees equal treatment and opportunities in partner Customs administrations. This project also supports these administrations in the development and implementation of dedicated GED action plans.

During the mission, the WCO team, composed of experts from the Togolese Revenue Office, the Benin Customs Administration and the WCO Regional Capacity Building Office (BRRC) for the West and Central Africa, held various working sessions with the Directors and managers of the different departments of Côte d’Ivoire Customs as well as the administration’s gender cell. The objective of these meetings was to discuss the update Côte d’Ivoire Customs GED action plan as well as the implementation of the various activities of this plan up to date.

On the sidelines of these working sessions, a meeting was also held with the Association of women in Côte d’Ivoire Customs (Amicale des Femmes des Douanes Ivoiriennes - AFDI) and UN Women. The aims of these meetings were to take stock of the impact of the national seminar targeting small and medium-sized businesses and women entrepreneurs organized on July 8 and 9 in Abidjan in collaboration with UN Women, the WCO and Côte d’Ivoire Customs, as well as on the activities carried out following this event.

As a result of the discussions during the working sessions, recommendations were identified, aimed at enabling all personnel of Côte d’Ivoire Customs to fully embrace the concept of GED.

The WCO looks forward to continuing its collaboration with the Côte d’Ivoire Customs administration in implementing the recommendations following this GED mission.

For further information on this activity and the wider WCO work on GED, please contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org.