Somalia - Country of Concern: latest update, 30 June 2014
Updated 21 January 2015
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The human rights situation in Somalia remains largely unchanged from the previous quarter.
Following the appointment of new Prime Minister, Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed in December last year, the Federal Government of Somalia conducted a reshuffle, expanding the number of cabinet portfolios from 10 to 23 and creating new ministries. This included the Ministry for Women and Human Rights Development under Minister Khadija Mohamed Diriye, which is now responsible for driving forward human rights reforms in Somalia. In April, the Federal Government of Somalia announced their work plan for each Ministry over 2014, prioritising promotion of gender equality and human rights as key actions this year.
In April, the UN Team of Experts on Sexual Violence in Conflict released their draft report and recommendations drawn from their visit in December. With support from the UN, UK and World Bank, the Ministry for Women and Human Rights Development, held extensive consultations with civil society, service providers, justice sectors and armed services to discuss the report and create a national action plan to tackle sexual violence in Somalia. This plan was launched on 27 May in Mogadishu. We are now working with the Federal Government to encourage wide donor engagement.
On 10-13 June, the Foreign Secretary, William Hague, and UN Special Envoy, Angelina Jolie, hosted a Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict . The Federal Government of Somalia brought a delegation which included representatives from the Interim Juba Authority and Galmudug state (an autonomous region in central Somalia). At the summit, in a meeting co-chaired by the UK and the United Arab Emirates, Somalia presented their national action plan to the international community and received pledges of support from donors. The UK will continue to work with the Somali government to push for full and fast implementation of the plan.
The humanitarian situation of refugees in the region and internally displaced persons in Somalia continues to be cause for concern. In the wider region, there have been worrying reports regarding Somali refugees and migrants. Since April, over 350 Somalis have been forcibly returned from Kenya, following security operation “Usalama Watch” which has predominantly targeted ethnic Somalis in Kenya. According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) 36,100 illegal economic migrants were returned to Somalia from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between December 2013 and June 2014 (see 31 March 2014 update on Saudi Arabia for further details). The UK has engaged with both Kenya and Saudi Arabia, and encouraged them to work with the UNHCR and IOM respectively to ensure that returns are made in accordance with humanitarian and human rights principles.
Food security continues to be a cause for concern. In early May, 22 organisations working in Somalia, including Oxfam, Care, World Vision and Save the Children, released a crisis update warning that low levels of funding combined with late rains and limited access could foreshadow another severe food shortage in Somalia. According to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 857,000 Somalis are suffering food shortages and malnutrition, with a further 2 million struggling to meet their own minimal food requirements. Through the Department for International Development (DFID), the UK has a £145 million humanitarian programme over four years (2013-2017) with a flexible facility to respond to crisis. The programme aims to deliver life-saving humanitarian assistance and improved resilience of vulnerable households.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released their annual world report “Attacks on the Press” in March, noting a reduction in the number of journalists killed in Somalia during 2013, from a peak in 2012. However, Somalia remains second on CPJ’s impunity index for the fourth year in a row due to a lack of investigation and prosecution of crimes against journalists. The UK continues to support the development of the Somali justice system through DFID’s £38 million Core State Functions Programme, which runs from 2012-2015, working with partners including the UN and International Development Law Organisation.
On 12 June, the Foreign Secretary, Secretary of State for Defence, Phillip Hammond, and Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening, launched the UK government’s third National Action Plan on Women, Peace & Security. This sets out our ambition to put women and girls at the centre of all efforts to prevent and resolve conflict, to promote peace and stability, and to prevent and respond to violence. Six priority countries have been identified, including Somalia. We are developing an implementation plan, which will be made available to the public later this year.