CIVICUS speaks about recent protests against femicides in Somalia with Ilyas Adam, a Center for Victims of Torture fellow, award-winning human rights journalist and senior consultant at the Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD).
CSHRD is a civil society organisation (CSO) that works for the promotion and protection of human rights in Somalia.
What sparked recent nationwide protests against femicide?
The brutal killing of a pregnant woman who was burned alive by her husband, alongside two other femicides that took place in the first week of February, sparked protests in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital. These cases were not exceptional – Somalia has a very high femicide rate – but their extreme brutality deeply shocked and outraged the public.
In taking to the streets, people in Somalia became part of a wider regional trend of protests in reaction to brutal femicides. Protesters demanded justice for victims and survivors, recognition of and respect for women’s rights and the end of a variety of forms of gender-based violence (GBV) that can escalate all the way to femicide.
What’s the role of the Somali women’s right movement?
In the recent protests, local women’s groups played a crucial role in putting pressure on the government to demand it take legal action against perpetrators of GBV.
The Somali women’s right movement works tirelessly to eradicate all forms of GBV, by raising awareness, challenging societal norms and mobilising public support. The first step to achieving gender equality is to advocate for thorough legislative reforms and policy initiatives that protect women and girls from violence, exploitation and discrimination. But without a change of mindset, violence will endure.
The work of women’s rights CSOs is vital in changing the perceived role of women in society. By raising awareness about GBV and femicide, providing essential support services to survivors, engaging with local communities and pushing for reform, they help create a safer and more inclusive community for all. If only they are given the space, they can collaborate with others to develop comprehensive strategies to combat GBV and enforce women’s rights.
How did the government respond to the protests?
The police conducted investigations into these cases, naming the suspects and bringing them to justice. The man who burned his wife alive was eventually sentenced to death.
However, these cases also underscored broader societal issues surrounding women’s rights in Somalia. GBV is pervasive in the daily lives of Somali women. Girls and women are expected to remain silent and accept domestic violence and other forms of GBV such as rape, female genital mutilation or being forced to marry or join the army at a young age. All are significant violations of women’s rights and pose grave threats to the wellbeing and dignity of women and girls.
If the root causes of GBV aren’t addressed, Somali women won’t be able to enjoy their rights and freedoms fully. Government institutions, CSOs and local communities must work together to combat femicides and all forms of GBV. We advocate for a national law that ensures gender equality, non-discrimination and protection from violence. By advocating for legal systemic reforms, civil society aims to create a safer society for all.
Why is it so hard to deliver justice for GBV victims and survivors?
It is not an easy task to prosecute perpetrators of GBV in Somalia. It becomes particularly difficult when offenders live in regions controlled by the Al-Shabaab terrorist group, an Al-Qaeda affiliate, or if they belong to any of Somalia’s dominant clans located in areas such as Hirshabeele, Jubaland, Puntland and Southwest State. Clans are both a source of identity and political forces. They have their own militias and compete with one another.
When high-ranking officials from national security and intelligence agencies are involved, this adds another layer of difficulty to legal proceedings, particularly when they come up against Al-Shabaab, as was the case of Ikran Tahlil, a female spy who has been missing since 2021 and is presumed to have been kidnapped and killed by the terrorist group.
Civic space in Somalia is rated ‘repressed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor.
Get in touch with the Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders through its website or Facebook page, and follow @HRDsCoalition1 on Twitter.
