Somalia’s parliamentary elections are facing another potential delay, as a significant number of seats in the House of the People have not yet been filled with only one day left until the election deadline. At the time of writing, 225 out of 275 lawmakers have been elected thus far with women representing 20% of those seats. In order to reach the 30% quota, 37 out … Continue reading As Somalia’s Parliamentary Election Deadline Inches Closer, 30% Women’s Quota Unlikely To Be Met

On January 9th, a 35-year-old unidentified pregnant woman from Somaliland was detained upon arrival at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia and ultimately deported on the 14th of January. The woman was said to be a refugee seeking asylum in Indonesia. According to Amnesty International Indonesia, the woman had sought asylum in Indonesia in 2016 but had returned to Somaliland in December 2021 due to pressure … Continue reading Pregnant Refugee From Somaliland Deported From Airport In Indonesia

The Iftin Foundation, together with the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), launched the Gacalo Gabadheyayay (Dear Daughter) campaign in Somalia which is meant to bring an end to the practice of female genital mutilation in the country. The event that was held to mark the occasion was officiated by the Minister for Women and Human Rights Hanifa Habsade. According to UNFPA, 98% of women and girls in … Continue reading “Dear Daughter” Campaign Launched In Mogadishu To Stop FGM In Somalia

For the first time in 30 years, the National Theatre in Mogadishu, Somalia opened its doors to Somali moviegoers. The two movies which were screened, “Hoos” and “Date from Hell”, were both produced and directed by Somali filmmaker IBrahim CM. On this special occasion, theatre director Abdikadir Abdi Yusuf stated “This is going to be a historic night for the Somali people: it shows how … Continue reading Mogadishu Movie Night: The National Theatre Screens Its First Public Films In 30 Years

On Sunday September 12th, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina J Mohammed landed in Mogadishu, Somalia to urge relevant stakeholders to commit to the election timeline and to also advocate for Somali women’s political participation. In two separate settings, the Deputy-Secretary General met with President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, and Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble and the National Consultative Council (NCC), whose members include regional … Continue reading Deputy UN Chief Urges Stakeholders To Realize The Implementation Of The 30% Quota For Somali Women In Politics

Ikran Tahlil Farah, a 24-year-old Cyber Security Specialist employed by Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), went missing two months ago. Ikran was picked up from her house, which is located close to the NISA headquarters in Mogadishu, on the evening of June 26th by a vehicle that was presumably known to her. On July 12th, Ikran’s mother Qali Mahmoud Guhaad spoke to Somali media … Continue reading The Curious Case Of Ikran Tahlil Farah

Obesity Centre, a plastic surgery and beautifying clinic in Mogadishu that recently went viral on social media, has been shut down. The controversial clinic was the first place in Somalia that offered dermal fillers. The clinic was recently profiled by Shabelle TV, a local Somali news station. In the segment, a woman is shown undergoing a procedure that involved receiving skin treatment and hyaluronic acid … Continue reading Somali Authorities Shut Down Viral Plastic Surgery Clinic In Mogadishu

A squad of female police officers is set to return to Somalia after concluding specialized training in Turkey. The 49 police recruits were selected based on their performance at the General Kahiye Police Academy in Mogadishu. Somali Police Commissioner Major General Abdi Hassan Mohamed Hijaar traveled to Turkey to attend the closing ceremony. In a tweet, the Major General called Turkey “a great friend” and … Continue reading Somalia’s First All-Female Police Unit Concludes Training In Turkey