STORY: Somali Women seek stronger

participation in countrys peacebuilding

and political processes
DURATION: 03:13
SOURCE: UNSOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
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LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/SOMALI/NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 2015/10/28, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
SHOT LIST
1. Wide shot, Senior Somali government and United Nations officials in
attendance
2. Med shot, Federal Minister of Health Hawa Mohamed Hassan in
attendance
3. SOUNDBITE (Somali) Asli Ismail Duale, Somali Womens
Leadership Initiative, The United Nations Resolution 1325 gives
us a right to political participation. Unless we as women participate,
half of society is missing. It is comparable to someone who wants to
clap with both hands, but the left hand is incapacitated.
4. Wide shot, members of the Somali civil society and Somali Womens
Leadership Initiative in attendance
5. Med shot, members of the Somali civil society and Somali Womens
Leadership Initiative in attendance
6. Med shot, members of the Somali civil society and Somali Womens
Leadership Initiative in attendance
7. SOUNDBITE (Somali) Federal Minister of Women and Human
Rights Zahra Mohamed Ali Samantar, The importance of
resolution 1325 is that it obliges us as the world to enforce and
empower women in the decision-making. At the end of the war
unfortunately, Somali women have been denied opportunity by our
male counterparts. We need to enhance our presence as women.
8. Med shot, Senior Somali government and United Nations officials in
attendance
9. SOUNDBITE (Somali) Somali National Army Col. Fadumo
Mohamed Siyad, We Somali women are serving in the armed
forces and in other fields. We are also at home and taking care of
the families unlike men.
10.
SOUNDBITE (Somali) Federal Minister of Health Hawa
Mohamed Hassan, Our problems as Somali women are also selfinflicted because we lack unity and are not organized. Unless we
change this, we cannot achieve our goals.

11.
Wide shot, members of the Somali civil society and Womens
Leadership Initiative in attendance
12.
SOUNDBITE
(Somali)
Minister
of
Women
from
Galmudug Regional Administration Sahra Olad, Boys and girls
have to get the same right to education and other rights. So, let us
work for the equality of boys and girls. We should not say that boys
should go to school and girls stay home. When we do that, we dont
progress.
13.
Med shot, member of the Somali civil society and Somali
Womens Leadership Initiative in attendance
14.
SOUNDBITE (English) Special Representative of the
United Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) to Somalia,
Nicholas Kay, My three words of advice to you. First, be inclusive
amongst yourselves, second, be united and third, be very
determined.
15.
Wide shot, women singing
STORY
Somali women seek stronger participation in countrys
peacebuilding and political processes
MOGADISHU, 28 October 2015 Somali women are
demanding more involvement in political and decisionmaking processes. They seek to make a more significant
contribution to Somalias peacebuilding and state-building
efforts.
At the Open Day organized by the United Nations in Somalia in
commemoration of the 15th anniversary of the adoption of United
Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and
Security, Somali women revisited their roles and duties in the
political and peacebuilding processes.
Over 55 women representatives from civil society as well as the
federal government and regional administrations, security sector
institutions including the Somali Police Force and Somali National

Army, judicial institutions, Members of Parliament, youth and

students attended the Open Day.
Shipra Bose, UNSOM Senior Gender Advisor, emphasized that the
Open Day provides women leaders, peacebuilders and community
leaders with access and opportunities to directly interact with the
senior leadership of the UN. She added that participants in the Open
Day event can share views and reflect on their role and contribution
as well as the challenges facing the countrys peacebuilding and
political processes.
During the discussions, Asli Ismail Duale, a member of the Somali
Womens Leadership Initiative, noted that women in Somalia are still
marginalized with a very low level of involvement in political
processes.
United Nations Resolution 1325 gives us a right to political
participation. Unless we women participate, half of the society will
be missing. It is comparable to someone who wants to clap, but one
of the hands is incapacitated, she noted.
The Federal Minister of Women and Human Rights Development,
Zahra Mohamed Ali Samantar, observed that women have
historically played a critical role in Somalia and their role shouldnt
be ignored.
The importance of resolution 1325 is that it obliges us to
strengthen and empower women in decision-making. At the end of
the war, unfortunately, women have not been given as much
opportunity,the minister emphasized.
The women leaders recognized the need for united efforts in
securing a stronger voice in the political arena.

Our problems as Somali women are also self-inflicted because we

lack unity and are not organized. Unless we change this, we cannot
achieve our goals, said Hawa Mohamed Hassan, the Federal
Minister of Health.
Sahra Olad, the Minister of Women of the Galmudug Interim
Administration, added that the struggle for womens empowerment
must ensure equal opportunities for the girl child, laying a
foundation for a better future.
Boys and girls must have the same right to access to education.
So let us work for the equality of boys and girls. We should not say
that boys should go to school and girls stay at home. When we do
that, we dont progress, she stressed.
In his remarks, the Special Representative of the United Nations
Secretary-General in Somalia, Nicholas Kay, advised women to
continue their unified efforts and lobbying for their increased
political participation, while reaffirming the support of his office and
the entire United Nations family in Somalia.