Advancing drug use reforms and HIV advocacy in Côte d’Ivoire
Aya Prisila N'Guessan’s journey into human rights advocacy began with a commitment to supporting some of the most marginalized groups in Côte d’Ivoire. As a legal and advocacy officer for Espace Confiance, Aya has dedicated her efforts to championing the rights of drug users, sex workers, and other key populations often excluded from healthcare and social protections.
Founded in 2004, Espace Confiance was initially focused on raising awareness and providing care for key populations in the context of Côte d’Ivoire’s HIV epidemic. However, the organization’s mission expanded in 2015 to integrate advocacy as a core pillar of its work. This shift allowed Espace Confiance to address the systemic injustices faced by these communities, particularly criminalization and discrimination.

A Milestone in Drug Policy Reform
For decades, Côte d’Ivoire’s approach to drug use was rooted in punitive laws. The 1988 drug law (Law No. 88-686) imposed prison sentences for simple drug use, criminalizing addiction and driving users away from essential health services. This changed in 2022 with the passage of a groundbreaking law, Law No. 2022-407, which redefined drug use as a public health issue rather than a criminal offense.
The new law introduced therapeutic injunctions as an alternative to imprisonment, in line with Switzerland’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendation 140.101, which called for a national action plan for alternatives to incarceration.
The Role of Espace Confiance in Advocacy
Espace Confiance, in collaboration with all the other stakeholders from both the community and state bodies, played a decisive role in this legislative breakthrough. Their advocacy efforts focused in particular on the following points
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High-Level Engagement: Organizing information sessions with the National Security Council and securing support from the Office of the President.
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Workshops and Training: Educating parliamentarians on proposed reforms and integrating a human rights approach into drug policies.
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Community-Led Advocacy: Empowering a group of drug users and ex-users to amplify their voices through awareness campaigns and training sessions.
These efforts have not only influenced policy changes, but have also begun to change law enforcement practices, including a reduction in the systematic incarceration of drug users.
UPR Info's support
Aya attributes much of this progress to Espace Confiance’s strategic engagement with the UPR process.
“Involvement in the UPR enabled us to structure our advocacy strategy on the basis of international instruments and by recalling Côte d’Ivoire’s commitments to these instruments.”
Through UPR Info training sessions such as Cod’Action Plaidoyer International (CAPI) organized by NGO Codap in 2018 and an additional training session by UPR Info in 2024, Aya and her colleagues developed the alternative report to be submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council ahead of Côte d’Ivoire’s fourth UPR review.
Lessons and Looking Ahead

Reflecting on her work, Aya highlights the importance of unity among civil society organizations (CSOs). “CSOs in the same country must always work in synergy to ensure stronger advocacy,” she advises. She also underscores the need for persistence and a community-centered approach in tackling human rights challenges.
When asked what lessons she had gained from their recent involvement in the Côte d’Ivoire UPR, Aya responded with “Having a clear summary of recommendations and a well-crafted advocacy note is essential for constructive dialogue.”
She emphasizes the importance of bilateral engagement, stating, “A direct, one-on-one approach with diplomatic offices is critical to ensure recommendations gain traction.”
Although the 2022 law to combat the illicit trafficking and use of narcotics, psychotropic substances and their precursors in Côte d'Ivoire is a significant achievement, Aya recognises the need to go further. However, the law needs clear implementation guidelines and expanded harm reduction services. Aya and her colleagues remain determined to make these next steps a reality.
When asked what the UPR means to her, Aya offered a powerful response:
“It’s a universal possibility space for the voice of the voiceless.”
In her work, she exemplifies this vision, turning advocacy into tangible change for Côte d’Ivoire’s most vulnerable populations.