S/2017/249 giving rise to stigma. The Decision on Civilian Victims of War of Brcko District was amended to remove the requirement that survivors must se cure a criminal judgment before being eligible to access services. The past year also saw the integration of stigma-prevention efforts into the training of health and psychosocial support professionals, as well as innovative responses to stigma engaging re ligious groups. In 2016, 80 survivors of wartime sexual violence benefited from economic empowerment programmes. More than 60 survivors, including internally displaced persons and returnees, accessed free legal aid as a result of mobile teams being deployed to remote areas. Entitlements still vary across entities and cantons, and the legal obligation to provide economic opportunities, including preferential employment, to sexual violence survivors remains largely unimplemented. Greater efforts are also needed to prevent retraumatization. In 2016, several survivors expressed fear of public identification and intimidation when requests to appear in court were sent to them via the regular postal system in a small village where the perpetrators also live. Recommendation 76. I urge the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina to strengthen national institutions to uphold the rights of survivors of conflict -related sexual violence to services, including free legal assistance, reparations, housing and education for the children of rape survivors, and to allocate adequate resources for this purpose. I further encourage efforts to harmonize legislation to ensure that the rights of survivors and their children are consistently recognized, irrespective of where they reside. Côte d’Ivoire 77. The wounds inflicted by the civil war in Côte d’Ivoire, and brought to light during the post-electoral crisis in 2010-2011, which saw a resurgence of sexual violence, have yet to fully heal. Nonetheless, the political situat ion has stabilized. The constitutional referendum of 30 October, and the parliamentary elections of 18 December both transpired peacefully, with no incidents of sexual violence reported. During a deployment of the Forces armées de Côte d’Ivoire to the Bouakani region, in response to intercommunal clashes, a soldier attempted to rape an 11-year-old girl. The military High Command responded immediately, requesting the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) to provide in-situ training to the troops on the army’s zero-tolerance policy. Following this intervention, no further incidents were reported in the region. Overall, across the country, UNOCI verified seven cases of sexual violence committed by FACI soldiers in 2016. In each instance, the victim was referred to a centre for medical and psychosocial support and judicial action was taken, resulting in three convictions. 78. Challenges remain with respect to prosecuting sexual violence crimes connected with the post-electoral crisis. None of the 196 cases of sexual violence documented by the National Commission of Inquiry, which occurred between October 2010 and May 2011, have been adjudicated. The only cases that are currently subject to national or international justice concern individuals affiliat ed with the former President, Laurent Gbagbo. For example, the trial of former first lady Simone Ehivet Gbagbo on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including her alleged role in rapes and killings by pro -Gbagbo forces, commenced 17-05090 23/33