UN rights expert urges the international community to support Somalia on all fronts
MOGADISHU / GENEVA (26 May 2017) – The United Nations Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia,
Bahame Tom Mukirya Nyanduga, has called on the international community to support the country through its current
humanitarian crisis and its on-going State-building process.
“Somalia is experiencing one of its worst humanitarian crisis following three years of drought, which has affected more
than half the population, creating an acute food and water shortage, child malnutrition and mortality, and loss of
livestock,” said the human rights expert at the end of his fourth mission to the Federal Republic of Somalia.
“This drought has come at a time Somalia has not recovered from the effects of the 2011 drought,” Mr. Bahame Nyanduga
noted. “I call upon the international community to respond to the appeal for US$4.4 billion to assist Somalia to deal
with its biggest humanitarian crisis in history.”
The UN Independent Expert also called for unremitting support for Somalia’s state-building process and improvement of
the human rights situation in the country.
“I urge the international community to continue its technical and financial support to Somalia towards the reform of the
police, judiciary and other rule of law institutions, and ensure the establishment of the new justice model, which is
the cornerstone of democratic governance,” he said.
“The justice sector should be provided with commensurate resources to those currently being directed towards the
security sector,” the human rights expert emphasised.
Mr. Bahame Nyanduga expressed concern regarding cases of detention without trial, police brutality, intimidation of
journalists, and other violations of the right to freedom of expression and media rights across Somalia. “I call on the
authorities to continue their engagement with media owners and professionals in order to review existing media laws or
adopt laws that respect freedom of expression and media rights,” he said.
During his eleven-day visit, the Independent Expert also enquired about the role of traditional elders in the Somalia
justice system, where Traditional Dispute Resolution remains strong because of the institutional weakness of formal
judicial institutions. He recommended the Federal Government of Somalia, the Federal Member States, and Somaliland “to
undertake a comprehensive review of the traditional dispute resolution frameworks in order to ensure that traditional
elders protect the rights of women, in particular from rape and other sexual and gender-based violence cases.”
The Independent Expert commended authorities in Puntland for the adoption of the Juvenile Justice Law and the Sexual
Offences Law, and urged their wide dissemination and effective application. He also commended the Puntland government
for the rehabilitation and integration of young persons arrested during its campaigns against Al-Shabaab.
Mr. Bahame Nyanduga urged the Federal Government to finalise the integration of the UN Convention on the Rights of the
Child into domestic law, and ratification of its additional protocols. He further called on the Federal Government of
Somalia and Somaliland to finalise the adoption of their respective Sexual Offences Bills.
The Independent Expert commended the Federal Government for holding the 2016/17 electoral process, and the peaceful
transfer of power to the newly elected Federal President, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmaajo.
He noted the marked increase in the number of women members of parliament, from 38 out of 275 members of the House of
the People in 2012 to 67 women MPs, and the election of 13 women members out of 54 members of the newly established
Upper House.
“While acknowledging that the number of women MPs did not reach the 30% target of women representatives, this increase
is a significant achievement, taking into account that the indirect elections took place at a time when Somalia is still
facing security challenges, and that the elections were conducted under a complex, indirect electoral process, which was
heavily influenced by male traditional elders,” he stressed.
During his official visit to Somalia, from 15 to 25 May, Mr. Bahame Nyanduga met with the Deputy Prime Minister and
Ministers of the Federal Government of Somalia; the Vice President and Ministers in Puntland; and the Chief Justice,
Ministers and senior government officials in Somaliland.
He also held meetings with representatives of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), UN Women, the African Union
Mission in Somalia, (AMISOM), as well as members of civil society, traditional elders and religious leaders on the human
rights situation and challenges faced in the implementation of their respective mandates and activities in Somalia.
Mr. Bahame Nyanduga will submit a comprehensive report with recommendations at a forthcoming session of the Human Rights
Council, aimed at assisting government to fulfil its human rights obligations.
ENDS