Status of Women Report: Somalia

7/25/2019 Status of Women Report: Somalia

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STATUS OF WOMEN REPORT - SOMALIA

University of Southern California

Shool of Soial Wor!

SOW" #$$

Assignment #1: Status of Women

SOMALIA

%y&

'aniel R( )aita* MA

+anuary ,* $.,/

Professor Eli0a1eth S2art

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Status of Wo3en Re4ort& So3alia

I. History and Demographics of Somaia

A. !oitics

So3alia is urrently in transition fro3 an e54ire6 Transitional Fe6eral )overn3ent

7TF)8 to2ar6s a Fe6eral Parlia3entary Re4u1li as 4art of its 9Roa63a4 for the En6 of

Transition: 2hih see!s to fully esta1lish a Fe6eral )overn3ent an6 for3 2ithin it a 4er3anent

set of 6e3orati institutions( The TF) is o34rise6 of an e5eutive 1ranh an6 a le;islative

1ranh an6 his hea6e6 1y the Presi6ent of So3alia to 2ho3 a a1inet re4orts to the Pri3e

Minister 7CIA* $.,/8(

Aor6in; to the CIA* So3alia has over ,< 4olitial 4arties( =o2ever* the So3alia 4arty

syste3 is a 2or! in 4ro;ress influene6 ;reatly 1y 3o6erate Isla3i Sufi ;rou4s alon; the lines

of their Sunni Musli3 7Isla3i8 national reli;ion( Tehnorats are hol6in; the 3a>ority of ne2ly

esta1lishe6 3inistry 4ositions ne2 to the So3alia 4olitial arena( A66itionally* hi;h-level fe6eral

6ele;ations 2ere 6is4athe6 aross the nation to 6efuse lan-relate6 tensions in several re;ions

7CIA* $.,/8(

Previous So3alia ;overn3ents have not ratifie6 the UN Convention on the Eli3ination

of All For3s of 'isri3ination a;ainst Wo3en an6 there has 1een no ;en6er 4oliy or ;en6er

s4eifi le;islation in So3alia u4 to 6ate( 'es4ite a6voay for a ?uota of @. 2o3en

re4resentation in all 4olitial institutions* this 2as not inlu6e6 in the Provisional Fe6eral

Constitution a6o4te6 on the ,st of Au;ust $.,$( =o2ever* the So3alia Constitution* Artile ,@@

sets out a 4roess for a3en63ent of the Constitution( The Unite6 Nations 'evelo43ent Pro;ra3

7UN'P8 2ill enoura;e the inlusion of the @. ?uota for 2o3en into the Constitution as 2ell

as the s4eifi 6evelo43ent of a )en6er Poliy 7UN'P* $.,#8(

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With the en6 of the So3alia Transitional )overn3ent in Au;ust $.,$* the 4olitial

lan6sa4e for 2o3en is ;ra6ually han;in;( As of $.,#* So3aliaBs South Central Re;ionsB ne2

Ca1inet is $. fe3ale( The ne2 Fe6eral Parlia3ent is , fe3ale( The Transitional Fe6eral

)overn3ent Ca1inet is @(


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Less than $. of the 4o4ulation of So3alia is literate an6 of this only ,@ are 2o3en

7UN'P* $.,#18( Another $../ So3alia Multi4le In6iator Cluster Survey 4lae6 the a6ult

literay rate for 2o3en at $/ o34are6 to 3en at @/ 7UN'P $.,$8(

Only @ority 1ein; un?ualifie6( 7UNICEF*

$.,@8( Aor6in; to the So3alia Ministry of Plannin; an6 6evelo43ent* in $..-$..D* /$*/.

fe3ales 2ere enrolle6 in 4ri3ary shool o34are6 to ,.*@$$ 1oys at the seon6ary level ;irls

nu31ere6 #*// o34are6 to ,*@ 1oys( University enroll3ent 2as only $# 1y fe3ales(

7UN'P* $.,#8(

D. $conomy

So3alia has a )ross 'o3esti Pro6ut aor6in; to a CIA re4ort of G$(@< 1illion

7offiial e5han;e rate8 an6 )'P 4urhasin; 4o2er 4arity of G#(D 1illion 7$.,. est(8 7CIA*

$.,/8( The )'P is 4ri3arily o34ose6 of three setors& a;riulture* /.($ in6ustry*


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Wo3en onstitute #/(/ of the la1or fore 2here 3easures are feasi1le( Wo3en

4ri3arily 2or! in the a;riultural setor 2ith @/ 2or!in; in the non-a;riultural setor an6

,D 2or!in; in ivil servie 7UN'P* $.,#8( Wo3en 2or! in 3enial 4ositions* involvin;

sarifie* ris! an6 hu3iliation* often only 3a!in; enou;h 3oney to sustain the3selves an6 their

fa3ilies 7)ar6ner* $..oye6

via e54orts an6 i34orts suh as livesto! e54ort an6 in the fishin; in6ustries 2here 2o3en are

har6ly re4resente6( , of househol6s are hea6e6 1y 2o3en in ur1an areas* an6 ,$ in rural

areas* e54an6in; the alrea6y ritial ele3ent of har6shi4 as 2o3en ta!e on roles as 4rovi6ers of

1asi nee6s 2hih are often e5trate6 fro3 sare natural resoures suh as lan6* 2ater an6

ve;etation 7UN* $..$8(

II. Status of Women

The )en6er Ine?uality In6e5 for So3alia is the fourth hi;hest ;lo1ally( So3alia has

e5tre3ely hi;h 3aternal 3ortality* ra4e* fe3ale ;enital 3utilation an6 hil6 3arria;e rates

7UN'P $.,$8( Jiolene a;ainst 2o3en an6 ;irls is o33on* even thou;h statistis are 6iffiult

to fin6 sine 3ost 2o3en 2oul6 not 6are to lo6;e a o34laint out of fear of 1ein; !ille6( Aross

the ountry* tra6itional or usto3ary la2 is a44lie6 3ore instea6 of the state >u6iiary* an6 se5ual

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an6 ;en6er 1ase6 violene often ;oes un4unishe6* 4artiularly as tra6itional So3ali soiety 6oes

not o4enly 6isuss these issues 6ue to fear or retri1ution 7UN'P $.,$ H $.,#8(

The 4artii4ation an6 role of 2o3en in 4olitis an6 6eision-3a!in; s4heres is e5tre3ely

li3ite6* al1eit han;in; ;ra6ually throu;hout the transition to2ar6s a Fe6eral Parlia3entary

Re4u1li( 7UN'P $.,$ H $.,#8

With a 4ri3arily 4astoralist eono3y* livesto! re4resents the fa3ilyBs 2ealth an6 has

tra6itionally 1een the 4ro4erty of 3en( =o2ever* 2o3en often 3ana;e the sale an6 e5han;e of

livesto! 1ase6 4ro6uts suh as 3il! an6 ;hee* usin; their earnin;s on househol6 nee6s(

Wo3enBs 4artii4ation in 2a;e e34loy3ent in the nona;riultural setor is the hi;hest in

Puntlan6 at .* follo2e6 1y So3alilan6 at @/* an6 @@ in South Central 7UN'PS') $.,#8(

It is i34ortant to note that in these areas* 2here 6ata is a1le to 1e ollete6* the re4orte6

stri6es 1ein; 3a6e are not fully refletive of the nation as a 2hole 1ut rather a re4resentative

sa34le of only a fe2 areas 2here 4ro;ress is atually 1ein; 3easure6(

Wo3enBs aess to health servies are li3ite6* an6 So3aliaBs 3aternal 3ortality rates are

a3on;st the hi;hest in the 2orl6* at ,*/.. 4er ,..*... live 1irths 7UN'P $.,#8 2hih is

o34oun6e6 1y hi;h fertility rates 7/(8 an6 a lo2 nu31er of institutional 6eliveries 7D8(

Prevalene of ontrae4tives is , 7UNICEF* $.,@8( The nu31er of 4re;nant 2o3en

2ho reeive one antenatal are visit 2ith overa;e is $/ an6 only / for 2o3en 2ho see a

health 4rofessional u4 to four ti3es( Only @@ of 2o3en have a s!ille6 atten6ant at 1irth* an6

only D have institutional 6eliveries( 7UNICEF* $.,@8(

Aor6in; to the Worl6 =ealth Or;ani0ation* a44ro5i3ately D of 2o3en in So3alia

un6er;o Fe3ale )enital Mutilation 7F)M8 7W=O* n(6(8 an6 it is 3ostly 4erfor3e6 on ;irls

1et2een the a;es four to ,, years in its 3ost severe for3 infi1ulation is re4orte6 to 1e 4ratie6

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in . of ases 7UN'P* $..u6iial

syste3(

As evi6ene to the a1ove ar;u3ent* 6urin; the 3onth of Se4te31er $.,$* UN 4artners

re;istere6 $


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I oul6 have !ille6 these ra4ist an6 sent the3 to hell 2hile sen6in; a 3essa;e that 2e

2ere 2athin; their on6ut an6 hol6in; the3 aounta1le( %ut the rules of en;a;e3ent 6itate6

other2ise( What 3a6e this 2orse 2as the reali0ation that 2e 2ere soon to a1an6on the3 6ue to&

the 4olitial un4o4ularity of the o4eration* a 2ee! U(S( Presi6ent* an6 a 4oorly e5eute6 US

Ar3y 'elta Fore rai6* also !no2n in the ivilian 2orl6 as 9%la! =a2! 'o2n:( So 2e left

the3 to 1e torture6* ra44e6 an6 3ur6ere6 as 2e 4ulle6 out of that ountry(

To6ay 3y 6rea3s 7ni;ht3ares8 are of 3e 1ein; fore6 to leave 3y 2ife an6 !i6s 1ehin6

in the sa3e environ3ent( It is a 4er4etual tor3ent that ;ets 2orse as 3y three 6au;hters ;et

ol6er( I a3 asha3e6 that I 6i6 not 6o 3ore to hel4 those 2o3en an6 ;irls an6 forever resentful of

%ill Clinton for ta!in; us a2ay fro3 the3 in or6er to failitate his 4olitial en6eavors( The

2o3en of this 2orl6 6eserve 1etter(

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Referenes&

CIA 7$.,/8 The Worl6 Fat %oo!( Retrieve6 fro3*

htt4s&222(ia(;ovli1rary4u1liationsthe-2orl6-fat1oo!;eosso(ht3l

)ar6ner* +( 7$..

Status of Women Report: Somalia

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