SOMALIA STATEMENT – U.N WOMEN 2015

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H.E. Dr. Abdusalam H. Omer

Minister for Foreign Affairs & Investment Promotion
UN Head Quarters, New York,
Saturday 30th September 2015.

The Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia would like to take this opportunity to thank the Government of Italy for the invitation to gather here today to discuss Women, Peace and Security.

I want to start with the obvious: The deck is stacked against women everywhere. Somali women are no different.
I am proud to say that the women of Somalia have played, and continue to play, a crucial role in our journey to stability, progress and prosperity. Somalia in its darkest hours of strife, was supported into the light by the solid efforts of its daughters, sisters, mothers and professional women who, despite their own losses and suffering, helped to herald in the new age of peace we enjoy today. We thank them for their sterling efforts and we are committed to never forgetting their sacrifices.

Somali women have always been an integral part of our society and today they serve in key Government offices as Ministers, advisers, educators and civil servants. They are also leading innovators and entrepreneurs who are shaping their communities.

The simple reality is that in all conflict and post conflict States like Somalia, women are agents of peace and, increasingly, breadwinners often supporting multiple family members at one time. This is in addition to the housework, childcare and child rearing society has come to expect and rely on them for. In a nutshell, women are the glue that keeps Somali society together.

In a challenging post conflict society like ours, the old distinction between public and private life is now no longer relevant in Somalia: We require all our citizens, male and female, to pull their weight in our national development cause.

Somali women, despite their progress, still face challenges in Somali society stemming from ignorance, and structural gendered based violence. These are the obstacle to our national development we must and will confront. These are the obstacle to our national development plan we must and will confront head on.

While we recognize that Gender Based Violence exists everywhere, we in Somalia are committed to highlighting the issue, and through education and legislation, bringing it to an end.

Maintaining peace and security requires economic as well as social development. Women’s participation and empowerment in both areas is fundamental and our Government is committed to ensuring that they have every opportunity to fully maximize their potential.

Any discrimination against women is unacceptable in our eyes and hearts and minds. This will always be our standard.
Through these Sustainable Development Goals, we have collectively been given 17 targets to meet from achieving
-economic development
-Food security
-Health and sanitation
– Universal Education
-Peace, and Security

And fundamentally, the eradication of poverty in all forms.

As we embark on these challenges, if we choose to view “women’s issues” as separate, and not central, the highest score that we will ever achieve is 50%. We are not sure about other grading systems, but 50% is failing as far as we are concerned in Somalia.
Harnessing the collective conscience and efforts of 50% of the human population to implement the Sustainable Development Goals, will ensure a more peaceful, progressive and prosperous world. We must not squander this goldmine opportunity as a result of ignorance, discrimination and lack of care for the “other” as the other are our sisters, mothers, daughters and fellow human beings.
Today, Somalia’s Electoral Commission, tasked with transforming Somalia’s overall future for good, is led by a woman who was democratically elected by her peers. However, to sustain peace, security and accelerate progress in Somalia, we need to encourage and promote women’s in politics, civil society and industry.

Finally, my daughter always says that she wants to change the world for good. I, and the entire Government of Somalia, are determined to help her and her peers.

Thank you.

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