Communiqué for 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence On 7th December event. Published by NAGAAD Network

Communiqué for 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence

                                                    By

Women’s Rights Organizations, Women Rights Activists and NAGAAD Network

On the 7^th of December, NAGAAD Network hosted a conference on the commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism against GBV in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Close to 200 women from different backgrounds, including WROs, female lawyers, women human rights defenders, women politicians, policewomen, business women and women from the CSOs sector came together to discuss women’s rights issues in Somaliland, including barriers in the policies and legislation such as the drafting, approval and implementation of anti-GBV, and anti-FGM laws and mechanisms that are currently in draft form.

• The increasing violence against women and children in Somaliland for the past few years according to various reports from Somaliland Human Right Commission, International partner’s studies/assessment/reports and lack of protective legislations and policies where the majority of legislation lack approval, implementation and commitment including Somaliland Sexual Offences Law (Law #78, 2018), FGM bill and FGM policy draft past 10 years.
• ACKNOWLEDGING the need for collaboration between the Somaliland government, WROs, WRAs, International Organizations, Government relevant bodies and institutions to achieve and fulfil women empowerment commitments and agendas, to make sure that Somaliland women are fully enjoying their rights.
• The important role of WROs, WRAs to gather with their international partner organizations, have taken concrete policy steps to ensure the Government of Somaliland creates a protective and safe environment for women and children by calling the Government of Somaliland to implement the sexual offences law, approve the FGM Policy, implement Child Rights Act and improve the implementation of juvenile justice for children.
• NOW HEREBY AGREE. The important role of WROs and WRAs and International partners is to hold the Government of Somaliland accountable to fulfil its commitment to CEDAW and other international and national commitments on improving women and girls’ rights.
• AND RECOMMENDS. the following Actions as the immediate commitment to advance women and girls’ rights in Somaliland.
• We are urging the President of Somaliland to IMPLEMENT the approved sexual offences law that has been approved in 2018 and urge the Justice institutions to operationalize the law in order to protect women and girls in Somaliland.
• We are calling on the President of Somaliland, the newly elected Somaliland Parliamentarians and the relevant and responsible Government institution to accelerate the approval of the FGM bill which will serve Somaliland women and girls to receive their full rights under the rule of law.
• We are calling on the Government of Somaliland to advance the rights of women and girls in Somaliland by adopting a protection mechanism and have the strong political will for women’s rights issues in Somaliland.
• We are encouraging the Government to invest in women’s Protection, leisure, Economy, Education and health services to ensure women and girls access their basic services.

This communique is signed by the following signatory