left – Shirwarc Mohamed-Director of Somali Peace Line, Middle – Fardowsa Ahmed Abdulahi – Advisor Ministry of Labour & Social Affairs – Mohamoud Mohamed Hassan deputy country Director Save Children

Commemoration of International day for women on March 8, 2018 which was organized jointly by Save the Children International and Ministry of labor and social affairs were conducted at Paradise Hotel near the international Airport in the district of Wadajir. the event was attended by more than 60 various honored guests from various line ministries and different authorities such as UN Agencies, Save Children International top management, religious groups, scholars, University institutions Youth & Women Associations, local NGOs, media group and other stakeholders.

The main purpose of the International Women’s Day was to observe annually on March 8 of every year to highlight the progress made in women’s empowerment and celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of the country and communities.

The celebration of the world International day for women is important as it reminds the public and Government to prevent women’s rights and to raise and increase awareness to ensure the right of the women in Somalia. So let us take World international Day of Women as a moment to commemorate, to reflect, and to move forward the rights of Somali women.

Mss. Fardowsa Ahmed Abdullahi From the ministry of labor and social affairs was chairing the meeting on behalf of the Ministry of labor and social affairs, said the Somali women were the backbones of the society and have gone through hardships ever since the collapse of the Central government.

‘’As social affairs Adviser of the ministry of labor, we want to ensure and tackle barriers that may prevent women’s rights. There is much more that we must work together to make possible for women in Somalia. There must be no barrier to women’s engagement with society; their voices being heard in public, and in private. We must ensure that there is no obstacle to women being engaged in both in civic service and in public life. Importantly, education must be fully accessible across Somalia, so that our daughters have the same opportunities to learn as their brothers,’’ she said.

On the other hand there is a culture that saying that Somali women cannot participate or be part of the political processes and emphasizes that the voices of women need to be heard, adding that they need to be among the decision makers, if their views are to be taken seriously.

“It is very important because in Somalia, it is estimated that women and girls constitute 60% of the population. So if women are not part of the decision making process, then who will speak for their needs or their rights? They have to be part of the political administration; they have to be on that decision making table so that they can voice the needs women, the needs of girls, everything about women,” adds Fardowsa.

For decades, Somalia women have been living in different tough conditions facing abuses such as sexual violence.

Mss. Fardowsa finally vowed to take major steps on abuses against women and will not tolerate on them going on.