The broadcast of a segment on the program "La télé d'ici vacances" presented last Monday by Yves de Mbella, which was intended to denounce rape, during which a man presented as a former rapist recounted how he assaulted his victims, has sparked outrage in Côte d'Ivoire.
Ms. Nassénéba Touré, Minister for Women, Family, and Children, "strongly condemned these despicable acts" which "undermine efforts" to eradicate "this scourge (rape) that ruins the lives of thousands of women and girls."
The Ivorian League for Women's Rights also condemned "in the strongest possible terms this program and its humiliating and degrading content for women" and filed a complaint "for public indecency and condoning rape" against NCI and Mr. de M'Bella.
The management of the NCI channel reacted immediately and offered its "most sincere apologies." In a statement, it expressed its "commitment to respect for human rights, particularly those of women," its "deep regret," and its "solidarity with women who are victims of violence and abuse of all kinds." "As a precautionary measure (…) we have canceled all reruns of this episode of 'La télé d'ici vacances' and suspended the host," the statement said. "We humbly accept full responsibility for this serious and regrettable mistake, from which we will draw all the necessary conclusions."
The channel also announced the cancellation of the program produced and presented by Yves de Mbella and broadcast a special edition on Tuesday evening to apologize, during which Joel-Amos Badi, deputy program director, read a statement from the channel's senior management.
In addition, the HACA, which took up the case on its own initiative due to the large number of complaints, said in a statement that it had "decided to suspend" Mr. de M'Bella for a period of 30 days from all television and radio stations in Côte d'Ivoire.
Yves de M'Bella told AFP that he "understood everyone's indignation," saying that he himself was "hurt by the turn of events. I apologize."
According to AFP, in a survey of 5,556 people published in June, the Ivorian NGO Citizens for the Promotion and Defense of the Rights of Children, Women and Minorities (CPDEFM) recorded 416 femicides, 2,000 cases of violence against women, including 1,290 cases of marriage of girls under the age of 18 and 1,121 rapes.
Adweknow with AFP