Five years after the civil war in Cote d‘Ivoire, the UN is urging political actors to give due attention to the needs of children. The continued sustenance of the culture of impunity for those who commit crimes against children that gained prominence during the rebellion is harmful to the growth and peace of the nation.  In July 2005, the UN Security Council approved Resolution 1612 to monitor the situation of children in a number of countries affected by conflict – including Côte d’Ivoire – and to impose sanctions on violators. Together with other UN agencies in Côte d’Ivoire, UNICEF established a viable Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM) in the application of the resolution.

Since 2002, Côte d'Ivoire has been paralyzed by a divide between the rebel-held North and the army-controlled South. The instability began in 1999 when General Robert Guei organized a coup to overthrow the then President Henri Bedie. Guei also instilled religious discord by refusing to allow a Muslim northerner to take part in Presidential elections. The only contender allowed in the election, Ivorian Popular Front (IPF) candidate Laurent Gbagbo, won the election and violence ensued.