Mogadishu — In a significant step toward inclusive governance and gender empowerment, the Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia, H.E. Hamza Abdi Barre, on Tuesday held an extensive dialogue with hundreds of Somali women in Mogadishu, emphasizing their indispensable role in the country’s journey toward peace, stability, and democratic reform.
The consultative forum, organized under the theme “Defense and Elections,” brought together a cross-section of Somali society—including government ministers, parliamentarians, legal experts, civil society figures, and women leaders from different regions—to discuss women’s participation in national affairs, particularly in areas of security, governance, reconciliation, and constitutional development.
“Somali women are central to building the nation we all aspire to,” said Prime Minister Hamza during his keynote address. “To defeat the menace of the Khawarij and rebuild our country, we need the strength, resilience, and leadership of Somali women at every level of our society.”
The Prime Minister reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring women’s representation in political and administrative spheres, promising to expand employment opportunities and safeguard women’s rights in both electoral processes and governance structures. He underscored that true gender equality can only be achieved by protecting every citizen’s right to vote and be elected—regardless of gender or social status.
The forum was spearheaded by the Somali Women’s Center for Security and Peace, a prominent civil society organization that advocates for gender-inclusive peacebuilding and security policy. The event provided a rare platform for Somali women to engage directly with top-level policymakers, raising issues ranging from electoral fairness to the ongoing constitutional review process.
Also in attendance were the Minister of Women and Human Rights Development, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, and several Members of Parliament who echoed the Prime Minister’s stance on inclusivity. Speakers highlighted the critical need to ensure that Somalia’s post-conflict recovery and democratization efforts are anchored in gender equity and participatory governance.
Women in Somalia have long been at the forefront of community resilience, peacebuilding, and social cohesion, despite facing systemic barriers to political inclusion. While recent years have seen incremental progress—such as the introduction of a 30% quota for women in parliamentary representation—many challenges remain, including security threats from extremist groups, societal norms, and limited access to education and economic opportunity.
With Somalia preparing for upcoming national elections and deepening its constitutional reform process, the Prime Minister’s engagement with women is seen as a timely effort to reaffirm the government’s inclusive agenda.
