Sunday December 10, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - The Ifrah Foundation convened a consultative forum for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Mogadishu on Saturday to strengthen their efforts in combating violence against women and advocating for the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) law.
During the meeting, Ifrah Ahmed, the founder of the Ifrah Foundation, urged the organizations to unite in pressing the government to pass the FGM law promptly. She highlighted the severe challenges faced by Somali girls, including extreme circumcision, rape, and complex family situations, particularly in the neighbourhoods of Mogadishu.
The British Embassy in Mogadishu recently launched the Gaashaan project, a £15 million initiative aimed at supporting survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in Somalia, especially those affected by El Niño. The project was announced during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, Gaashaan, which means "shield" in Somali, and it is set to benefit over 117,000 individuals.
Director of Archives in the Prime Minister's Office, Amina Keyf, spoke about the "Mother Save One Family" (Hooyo badbaadi hal qoys) campaign, which was initiated to support women and children impacted by the El-Nino-induced floods since last October. Minister of Women and Human Rights Khadijo Mohamed Diriye is leading the campaign to expand its reach across Somalia, especially in flood-affected areas.
Mr. Ahmed Abdi Omar (Borile), Director of the Department of Human Rights at the Ministry of Women and Human Rights, confirmed that the Somali government is managing the FGM circumcision law, which criminalizes the practice. The law is currently awaiting approval by the cabinet.
Ahmed, advocating against FGM, reported that no FGM cases have been recorded in the Rabb Yassir IDP camp in Garasbaley neighbourhood on the outskirts of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, in the four years since the foundation started monitoring.
The event also featured speeches from Maryan Takal, a member of the Civil Society Organizations, Deqa from the Ministry of Justice and Constitution, human rights activist Asad Dhayow, and Asha Hirsi Aynab, who advocates for Somali youth and women's issues.