Over 3000 Somali Women Marched for Peace in Mogadishu
(Mogadishu, 07 January 2011) Over three thousand Somali women walked proudly in the streets of Mogadishu to highlight women’s efforts for peace and democracy.
Prior to the street march, Somali women held a forum to discuss their role towards peace, reconciliation, and democracy.
Participants included Ministers, members of civil society, and women advocacy groups.
The forum issued the below communiqué:
1. Somali women discussed on ways to devise strategies to fight multiple forms of economic discrimination and violence against women.
2. To ensure that women, youth and children have full and equal access to economic and political resources.
3. To ensure that Somali women receive effective legal protection against all violence.
4. Re-affirm that the full integration of women into formal economy, in particular into economic decision making; where women and man enjoy equal treatment at the workforce.
5. Underlined that women’s rights become central to economic, social and political reforms.
6. Somali women whole heartedly support the Somali Roadmap to end the transition. Somali women described the Roadmap is central to the peace process and key to the progress of the nation.
7. Somali women strongly welcome and support the “Garowe Principles” from the constitutional conference held in Garowe, Puntland on 21st to 24th December 2011.
8. Somali Women welcome the proposed resolutions that intend to include women in all decision-making meetings around the country.
9. Somali Women seek the assurance of the proposed 30% membership of the constituency Assembly allocated to women by the Garowe Principles.
10. Somali women welcome the offer of minimum 20% membership of women in the new parliament and request this allocation to be increased to 30% as women are the backbone of the society.
11. Somali women recommend that the proposed allocations to women be selected fairly and just.
12. To promote the political and economic participation of women at all levels of decision-making by enacting and implementing legislation and targeted gender policy, including, specific measures, quotas, and parity law.