Côte d'Ivoire’s legal system is based on French civil law, with family matters governed by the Civil Code (1964 version). Parentage rules (Articles 312-334) state:
(a) The birth mother is the legal mother (Article 312).
(b) The husband at birth is presumed the father (Article 314). Outside marriage, paternity requires acknowledgment or judicial proof (Article 316).
For informal sperm donation (AI or NI), no specific provisions exist. A donor risks legal paternity if biologically proven in court (Article 316), with no donor exemptions.
Assisted Reproduction:
As of 2025, Côte d'Ivoire has no specific laws regulating assisted reproductive technology (ART). Basic fertility services exist in private clinics in Abidjan, but clinical ART remains limited and unregulated.
Informal sperm donation is unregulated and uncommon, influenced by cultural norms (50% Muslim, 40% Christian, traditional beliefs) favoring marital reproduction. Donors lack legal protection.
Single women face societal and practical barriers to ART; same-sex couples are restricted by lack of legal recognition, though homosexuality is not explicitly illegal.
Sperm Donor Agreements:
No legal framework supports informal sperm donation contracts. The Civil Code (Articles 314-316) prioritizes statutory paternity over private agreements.
A donor could face child support obligations if paternity is judicially established, with no statutory safeguards.
Surrogacy:
Surrogacy is unregulated. The Civil Code (Article 312) designates the birth mother as the legal mother, implying no recognition for surrogacy agreements.
Cultural resistance and limited medical infrastructure make surrogacy rare; international arrangements would require court validation, which is unlikely.
Parentage Agreements:
Parentage is formalized through marriage or judicial processes under the Civil Code (Articles 314-316). Informal agreements are unenforceable without court approval.
Courts prioritize child welfare and biological ties over donor intent, with moderate judicial capacity in urban areas like Abidjan.