Curbing Violence against Women in Somaliland

Somaliland president – HE Muse Bihi Abdi – attended a ceremony organized by the Nagaad Network for launching the Office of Monitoring Violence against Women.

First, the president Bihi thanked the participants and said: “I am very grateful to all the distinguished guests who attended today’s inauguration of the office of monitoring violence against women and I am very pleased to be part of this”

“This issue of violence against women – which has existed in Somaliland for the last thirty years at different levels- has been mentioned at very many meetings and deliberated on how to be tackled” the President remarked, referring to the long-running issue of violence against women. The president also mentioned that there is no opposition to this issue.

The president added that violence against women and their freedom are important priorities, supposing that we are not joined together and in total agreement on this undertaking there will constantly be conflicts and difficulties faced by Somaliland women.

He added that the violence against women has had a significant impact on their health and morale – unprecedented in Somaliland specially for the past 30 years. The President promised that the Government led by him will continue its efforts on this issue by educating the people of Somaliland about it.

The legislators in Somaliland’s two chambers of parliament, as well as a segment of the religious clergy, are fiercely committed to scrutinizing the legislation for violence against women, to the point where it has stalled in the legislative bodies, at a time when we all need to address these issues including rape, violence, harassment, and intimidation

Finally, the president became the first one to write his signature on the guest wall of the Office