Overview of

Gender-Based Violence
in Somalia

Advocacy Brief, 2021

Developed by the United Nations Population Fund
Somalia Country Office
Published in 2021
www.unfpa.org
 INTRODUCTION
2020 has been a year that witnessed an increase in incidents of gender-based violence
against women and girls due to the restrictions imposed by Government due to the COVID-19
pandemic in addition to the persistent communal conflicts, armed conflicts, and natural
disasters including droughts and floods. Isolation, loss of livelihoods due to closure of business,
disruptions in school calendars, and limitations of movement are associated with an increase
in sexual violence, intimate partner violence and female genital mutilation among children,
adolescent girls and women. There were also reports of sexual violence against men and boys.
Joint multisectoral assessments and media reports indicate a spike in levels of violence due
to COVID-19-related restrictions. The closure of GBV service sites due to fear of COVID-19
infection and the unstable political situation created greater challenges for women and girls
to access services. It became further challenging for women and girls in remote locations
to access quality GBV services given their limited mobility and the closures of services in
closest proximity to them. The situation persisted especially with the lack of progress at the
Federal Government level in passing the sexual offence legislation that provides some level of
protection for vulnerable women and girls and detract perpetrators from implementing GBV
with impunity. Somaliland has not yet commenced the implementation of a sexual offences
legislation passed in 2018. Puntland has made efforts to implement the sexual offences
legislation.

Furthermore, limited service provision for protective housing for vulnerable women and girls
fleeing violence; limited availability of recreational spaces for women and girls to re-build
friendships and social capital; and a limited number of specialized service providers to provide
specialized services are some of the major gaps that militated against access to services for
women and girls in the year 2020. Dilapidating poverty levels due to multiple displacements
and loss of livelihoods, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, have resulted in more women
and girls becoming dependent on cash and voucher assistance for meeting basic needs.

2021 comes with much hope and expectation from vulnerable women and girls for improved
programme, policy and legislative action for better protection from gender-based violence.
Therefore, this document is produced with the aim of promoting advocacy and action against
GBV by all humanitarian actors in Somalia. This is also a call to everyone including donors,
Government, humanitarian and GBV actors for stronger partnerships and commitment to
end violence against women and girls in Somalia.

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 DISTRIBUTION OF IDPs NATIONWIDE

Legend
Regions
IDPS 2018 - 2019

26,000 - 92,000

92,001 - 165,000

165,001 - 272,000

272,001 - 497,000

The boundaries on this map

represent the pre-war
0 55 110 220 Miles
regions of Somalia and do
not imply any official
endorsement or acceptance
Source: IDPs Figures by UNHCR Protection and Return Monitoring Network (PRMN). by the United Nations
Population Fund (UNFPA)

Source: GBV AoR Dashboard 2020.

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 Crises Context
Somalia’s population continues to suffer one of the most complex and protracted humanitarian
crises in the world. The number of people in need of humanitarian assistance in Somalia has
increased from 5.2 million to 5.9 million due to the consequences of multiple threats including
climatic shocks (flood and drought, tropical cyclones), COVID-19 pandemic, protracted
conflict, and desert locusts. About 2.6 million are internally displaced persons (IDPs) across
the country. The country’s protection and health outcomes are the worst in the world.

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) continues to be an issue of major concern in Federal Members

States Galmudug, South West State, Jubaland, Hirashebelle Puntland and in Somaliland
especially in the event of the COVID-19. Recent spikes in Intimate Partner Violence, rape,
sexual exploitation, sexual harassment and abuse have multiplied GBV risks for women and
girls with worsening impact on women and girls living with disabilities. In IDP camps and host
communities, inadequate physical infrastructure, distance to water points, markets, health
facilities and schools, poor lightening, lack of doors on toilets and lack of disaggregation of
sanitary facilities are some of major factors that increase GBV exposure. In addition, distance to
distribution centers and lack of specific measures to ensure women’s inclusion and participation
in food distributions worsen levels of exposure of women and girls to GBV risks. Vulnerable
pregnant mothers and women at reproductive age in communities for IDPs and hard-to-reach
locations continue to experience restrictions in accessing sexual and gender-based violence
services. Loss of livelihoods and food insecurity among female-headed households and other
vulnerable women and adolescent girls worsened the dependency on food aid and humanitarian
assistance. Harmful coping mechanisms such as early marriage and sex in exchange for favors
are common among women and adolescent girls to assure food security.

GBV service provision remains low as compared to the need and geographical landscape in
Somalia. This situation is made worse by COVID-19-related restrictions in Somalia which
resulted in the closure of some GBV services. Shelter providers were reluctant to admit new
GBV survivors seeking assistance due to fear of contracting COVID-19. Also, heightened political
tensions and recent targeting of service providers contributed to heightened fears among the
service providers to continue to operate to provide services. Limited availability of specialized
services such as rape treatment for rape survivors, psycho-social support and higher levels of
mental health care for traumatized women and girls are major gaps for GBV service provision
in Somalia. This is compounded by the limited number of specialized services providers. At
present, the GBV Area of Responsibility (AoR) in Somalia has 52 partners that report on the
5Ws. Out of this number, only very few are specialized service providers. Response efforts
by Government, international and national organizations to meet the needs of women and
girls become a quite small in relation to the huge population in need.

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 SNAPSHOT: Gender Based Violence in Somalia
Women, adolescent, girls and children represent 95 percent
Affected Populations of the survivors that reported incidents of GBV in 2020.
Most 75 percent were from displaced communities.

GBV continues to occur everywhere however in 2020

trends show that 45 percent of reported incidents occur
Location of Violence at the survivors’ residence while others are on the streets,
at markets/shopping, at perpetrators’ residence, in camp
settings.

Rape, gang rapes, sexual assault, physical assault, forced

marriage, denial of resources, opportunities or services, and
Consistent Trends
psychological/emotional abuse are types of GBV reported
in 2020.

Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence were more

Reported more frequently
frequently reported in 2020.

GBVIMS 2020 recorded an increase of sexual violence

Newly Reported Trends involving children, and an increase in FGM, from the cases
reported to service providers.

Gender-based violence undermines the health, dignity,

security and autonomy of its survivors. GBV survivors
can suffer sexual and reproductive health consequences,
Consequences
including forced and unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions,
traumatic fistula, sexually-transmitted infections including
HIV, and even death.

Negative coping mechanisms used by GBV survivors include

restriction of movements, suicide or attempted suicide, child
Negative Coping Mechanisms marriage and survival sex (sex in exchange for favours) and
perpetuation of FGM to promote marriageability of girls
and social affinity.

Positive coping mechanisms include self-care, seeking help

from others including family members, relatives, intimate
partner and trusted members of the community, participating
Positive Coping Mechanisms
in outreach awareness, seeking support services, engaging
in trauma healing activities such as building self-esteem,
studying, physical exercise or journaling.

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 Gender-Based Violence
RISKS & VULNERABILITIES

GBV risks and incidents are likely to increase in conflict and during natural disasters
(drought, flood, cyclones, etc). Women and girls continue to face risk of GBV when
accessing water and sanitation, food security, education, shelter, and child protection
(CP) services.

COVID-19 Pandemic

Restrictions in movement, loss of livelihoods, disruptions in SGBV service provisions due

to COVID-19 lock down contributed to a rising incidence of GBV. A July 2020 SGBV/FGM
assessment during the COVID-19 revealed that 38 percent of responders indicated that there
has been an increase in GBV incidents while 35 percent indicated SGBV incidents were the
same. The number of GBV survivors calls to help hotlines also increased by 283 percent in
Federal Member States (FMS) and 767 percent in Somaliland despite the inactivation of
some of the hotlines in the states. There was also media reporting on the alarming increase
of the incidence of FGM due to the closure of schools. Practitioners of FGM were reported to
be making door to door calls for potential clients to cut. The period of COVID-19 restrictions
provided ample of opportunities for parents who desired to mutilate their children as the
closure of schools provided ample time for healing. Also, GBVIMS 2020 data showed an
increase in GBV during the onset of COVID-19 restrictions in Somalia. There was a notable
increase of intimate partner violence (55 percent); physical assault and rape at 61 percent
and 12 percent, respectively in contrast with physical assault and rape at 56 percent and 14
percent in 2019. Anecdotal media and programming reports indicated a spike in rape of women
and girls including a specific targeting of boys. The closure of courts contributed to greater
delays in dispensing justice for GBV survivors who pursued prosecution of perpetrators. This
contributed to prolonging the psychological trauma and lack of closure for GBV survivors.

Internally displaced persons (IDPs)

IDPs, returnees and poor host communities without assets and income remain vulnerable
especially to gender-based violence and have limited access to livelihood opportunities and
limited recourse to justice systems. Within IDP camps and host communities, women and
girls face GBV risks as they strive to meet basic survival needs as they travel long distances
from their camps in search of casual jobs. Safe and security of women and girls within and
beyond IDP camps continued to be compromised by poor quality shelters and poor lighting
at night; a lack of male/female segregated and lockable toilets, and the distances women and
girls have to walk to water and fuel wood collection points, as well as to health facilities and
markets. Fear of rape and sexual harassment impacts on the mobility of women to perform
casual jobs and farming to provide for the needs of the family.

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Conflict and Natural Disasters

Prevailing conditions of droughts, floods and armed conflict in 2020 also worsened levels of
displacements for women and girls in Somalia further driving them into deprivation, poverty
and helplessness. Having lost livelihoods and community and clan protection systems, as
result of multiple displacements, women and adolescent girls are faced with economic and
financial challenges which makes it difficult for them to meet basic needs for dignity and
protection. Findings of assessments carried out in 2020 continued to indicate persistent needs
for dignity kits, reusable sanitary towels, solar lanterns and mats by women and adolescent
girls for basic comfort and dignity protection.

Food Insecurity

The problem of food insecurity forces poor families including female-headed households
to resort to negative coping mechanisms such as female genital mutilation to improve
opportunities for their daughters to attract suitors who can provide economic security.
Marriage of daughter is also an avenue of shedding the burden responsibility of feeding
extra mouths in the family. Low targeting of women for agricultural seedlings to boost their
production further impoverished women and ensured the loss of opportunities to transform
gendered division of labour within families in line with the changing pattern of family provision
brought on by the event of COVID-19. The transfer of gendered male role of family provision,
displacements, loss of livelihoods, and food insecurity caused by natural disasters combine to
increase dependency of women and girls on food aid and cash and voucher assistance. With
the humanitarian response, inadequate specific targeting of women for food aid and direct
cash/voucher assistance contribute to sustaining food insecurity in families, and increasing
tensions that ultimately result in rising levels of intimate partner violence.

Safe Shelters for Women and Girls

The lack of SGBV shelters to provide protective housing for vulnerable women and girls, and
inadequate spaces for recreation and building rudimentary life skills contribute to the inability of
women and adolescent girls to recover safely and speedily from trauma from violent incidents.
the majority of women and girls fleeing violence in Somalia do not have options for safety
and protection. Limited shelter provision forces women and girls to stay in environments that
are not safe and further expose them to the risk of GBV. While there are limited numbers of
shelters operational in Puntland and Somaliland, other parts of the country have a very limited
number of shelters for GBV survivors. In addition, the lack of adequate spaces for recreation
for women and girls inhibits recovery and healing which in turn inhibits proper recuperation
and reintegration for vulnerable women and girls including GBV survivors.

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 Risks of GBV
IN OTHER SECTORS
WASH

A camp coordination and camp management (CCCM) cluster

assessment in Dinsor, Bay region noted poor latrine coverage as a
contributor to increasing SGBV incidents. Out of the households
assessed, 43.4 percent were found with latrines for excreta disposal
while 56.6 percent were either sharing with neighbours or using
the bush. The report also revealed that 70 per cent of the IDP
settlements lack water facilities. This forces women to collect
water from distant water points which increases the possibility of
rape, sexual harassment and abuse. The lack of adequate sanitation
facilities is complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic in Somalia
and further diminishes the ability of vulnerable women and girls to
protect themselves effectively from COVID-19 infection and from
sexual violence, abuse and harassment.

Education

The burden of care for relatives and household chores not only
limits and drains family incomes but it also compels adolescent
girls to drop out of school and get married. Lack of segregation
of sanitary facilities, distance to schools, sex of teachers are also
obstacles that deter parents from enrolling their female children into
formal education. Also, son preference is a major factor for some
families with low financial resources in determining who qualifies
to benefit from formal education. The need to marry daughters off
in compliance to cultural expectations and the quest for social and
financial security promotes the need for families to mutilate their
daughters. As a result, the closure of schools due to COVID-19
presented opportunities for families to undertake female genital
mutilation.

Shelter

Findings from multi-sectoral safety audits in 2020 indicate specific

GBV risks for women and girls. They include inadequate fencing of
IDP camps, poor shelters constructed with inappropriate and light
housing materials (e.g. dump clothes, plastic sheets and sticks),
poor lighting, lack of private spaces for sleeping, over-crowding,
and faulty solar lanterns and torches, predisposing women and
girls to sexual harassment and rape. Lack of land to assure space
or construction of proper family units with provision for privacy for
women and girls leads to over-crowding which can increase tensions
and may lead to sexual or intimate partner violence.

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Food Security

Food insecurity is a reoccurring issue in Somalia.

Most of the times women and girls in Somalia are
primarily responsible for procuring and cooking
food in the family. Food insecurity in emergencies
can contribute to an increased risk of GBV. Also
women and girls can be sexually exploited in
exchange for access to and use of assistance.
The unequal treatment of women - who are often
over-burdened with domestic responsibilities,
poorly educated and discriminated against in
ownership rights of land, housing and other assets
- increases economic dependence on others and
also increases vulnerability to violence.

Child Protection

Children are at heightened risk of experiencing

violence in humanitarian settings. In Somalia,
the protracted conflict and multiple disasters
have eroded social protection systems leaving
children increasingly at-risk of physical abuse,
sexual abuse, corporal punishment, and other
forms of domestic violence. Children are also more
easily exploited and coerced than adults, and are
often taken advantage of by people in authority.
Proximity to armed forces, overcrowded camps, and
separation from family members all contribute to
an increased risk of exposure to violence. Female
children are doubly disadvantaged because of
their lack of power and voice due to gender and
age disparities. In Somalia forced recruitment of
children and adolescents are major risks to expose
them to sexual violence and abuse.

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 ANALYSIS OF THE TYPES OF GBV IN SOMALIA

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)

IPV has consistently remained the highest reported incidence of GBV by the GBVIMS in Somalia
and women and girls in marriage relationships or cohabiting are the major survivors of IPV.
Incidents of IPV are attributed to tensions in families as a result of limited financial resources
which affects prioritization of issues that are of concerns to women and adolescent girls (a key
example is access to reproductive health services). Changing roles of provision and targeting
of cash vouchers assistance are also major factors that can bring misunderstanding among
women and men co-habiting or married. Loss of esteem and confidence that accompany the
men’s inability to provide for their families can cause them to resort to violence in an attempt
to reclaim traditional male authority in households. IPV is also due to the lack of adequate
private living quarters and overcrowding in camps which creates situations of tension among
women and men.

Sexual Violence, Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

Increased hostilities perpetuated by communal violence and struggle over scarce resources
such as land and water also impact on already displaced women and girls living in IDP camps
and unfamiliar environments. There have been incessant cases of rape of adult, adolescent
and young female children over the years. However, more recently, adolescents and children
have become the major target. Long distances to seek health services, schools, water points
and latrines are major factors that continue to increase the risks of rape of women and girls
in Somalia.

Emotional and Psychological Violence

Women in Somalia are subjected to psychological and verbal abuse as reported by the
GBVIMS. The challenges of meeting basic needs for food and dignity protection can be
major contributors for emotional and psychological violence. In 2020, a rise was observed in
the number of men and boys who accessed pyscho-social support to cope with debilitating
circumstances of job loss and sexual abuse. Sexual violence and abuse, and witness to death
of loved ones by armed groups have caused psychological torture on women, men, boys and
girls and has led to an increased need for psycho-social counselling and support.

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Early and Forced Marriage

Early and forced marriage continue to be pervasive in Somalia especially within the context
of prevailing poverty and the perceptions around the value of girls versus boys in families
and communities. Girls are usually married at early age because of the need for families to
ensure social and economic security. Women are traditionally valued according to their ability
to procreate. Marriage provides the platform for women and young girls to demonstrate this
value to society to retain the privilege of respect and recognition as a mother of children.
Early marriage is perceived to be both a cultural and a religious requirement in Somalia as
there continues to be a lack of consensus among key stakeholders (religious and Government
actors) on the age of marriage/maturity.

Female Genital Mutilation

A severe form of gender-based violence that continues to be almost universal among women
and girls in Somalia is female genital mutilation (FGM). It is normalized violence in Somalia
as most girls and women are mutilated and perceive it as normal. FGM is socially accepted
to be for the good and protection of the female child and it is not understood as a violation
of the human rights of women and girls. It has remained pervasive and a strong social norm
because of its requirement for marriage for girls. It has become more compelling for families
seeking to escape poverty and build social acceptance and affinity by mutilating their female
children. The Somalia National Health and Demographic Survey 2020 reports a shift from the
extreme type 3 Pharaonic FGM to type 1 Sunna. Most communities do not view Sunna as FGM
or harmful in any form (physical or psychological). Somalia does not have a law against FGM.

Coping mechanisms

Withdrawal, social Isolation, victim blaming, restriction of movement, arranging accompaniment

for women and girls when they travel long distances, and silence are some of the major
negative coping mechanisms for women and girls in Somalia. Early marriage is also emerging
as a major coping mechanism in the humanitarian emergency. Positive coping mechanisms
include seeking support from family and community members; utilizing available GBV services
through the referral pathways; modelling positive behaviour on reporting GBV cases.

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 Gender-Based Violence
PARTNERS PRESENCE MAP IN SOMALIA

Source – GBV AoR Dashboard 2020

13
 Achievements
OF THE SOMALIA GBV AREA OF
RESPONSIBILITY 2020

The GBV Area of Responsibility continues to maintain 17 coordination

hubs across Somalia. The coordination hubs facilitate response
coordination, identification of gaps and work with other sectors
in GBV mainstreaming and have functional Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs) and referral systems.

69,248
People reached with GBV
programming/services

4,367
People trained on GBV-
related topics

36,279
People provided with
GBV case management

6,759
People reached with
solar lanterns

5,020
GBV beneficiaries
accessing safe spaces

219,974
GBV beneficiaries reached through
outreach activities/mobile response

12,816
People reached with
dignity kits

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 RECOMMENDATIONS
Mobilizing national and global efforts to create a better environment and conditions
for women, girls and communities at large.

For Donors

• Sustain and increase support for specialized GBV services to cover the geographical
needs and meet standards of quality as indicated in the Inter-Agency Minimum
Standards for GBV in Emergency Programming. Increase support for a multi-
sectoral response to GBV survivors, for example focusing on the integration of
sexual and reproductive health and GBV services, and prioritize both the emergency
response and acute humanitarian GBV needs.

• Support the establishment of a pooled funding mechanism to address acute GBV

needs and services in hard-to-reach locations including MPHSS, protection, health
and women and girls’ safe spaces.

• Increase support for GBV risk mitigation in other sectors to make the humanitarian
response in Somalia safer, including through direct funding GBV risk mitigation
initiatives conducted by different sectors.

• Support GBV prevention interventions that tackle the root causes of GBV and
work toward changing harmful social norms. That includes increased support to
legislative, policy and community advocacy and action to improve protection of
women and girls from GBV.

For Government

• Government should continue to ensure approval and the implementation of

policies and laws that prevent and mitigate the risks of gender-based violence.
Key legislation such as the sexual offences bill and which is pending at the Federal
Parliament is very important. It is also important that Somaliland commences the
implementation of the sexual offenses law.

• Relevant institutions such as the Police and justice systems should be capacitated and
empowered to provide safe and accessible services for the vulnerable communities
including women and girls and gender-based violence survivors.

• Provide leadership that a strategic approach to GBV risk mitigation is a priority

for the Government of Somalia and that it should be implemented and supported
by all actors.

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For Humanitarians

• Humanitarian leadership should continue to ensure that a strategic approach to

GBV risk mitigation is used in the Somalia response. GBV should remain in the
agenda of humanitarian coordination and response in Somalia at all levels.

• GBV risk mitigation is non-negotiable in humanitarian response. Humanitarian

actors should therefore ensure that each sector assesses and addresses GBV
risks throughout the humanitarian programme cycle. Key clusters in Somalia
humanitarian response such as CCCM, WASH, and Education have targeted for
GBV mitigation and response.

• Integrated referral pathways to address the multi-dimensional needs of GBV survivors

are ongoing and should be sustained to ensure timely, quality, comprehensive, safe
and confidential services for GBV survivors in Somalia.

For GBV Actors

• Expand the geographical coverage and quality of GBV specialized services,

including case management and psychosocial support, and implement targeted
GBV prevention interventions in an effort to change negative social norms that
perpetuate GBV.

• Provide quality protective housing through GBV shelters is a priority to ensure that
vulnerable women and girls have options for safety. GBV actors both in Government
and outside Government should support shelters.

• Work with the GBV coordination mechanisms to identify relevant gaps and to
ensure access to technical support and coordination with other actors, and work
with other sectors to enhance multi-sectoral support to survivors. And support
to adapt and implement the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)
code of conduct to reduce the incidence of exploitation and abuse.

• Support address barriers to access to services as well as specific GBV risks of

different groups, especially adolescent girls, older women, women and girls with
disabilities, and widowed and divorced women and girls.

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 HUMAN INTEREST STORIES ON
FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION

STORY 1

“I suffered a lot because of FGM, I will not accept it to happen to young girls”

Nimo Ahmed, 19, was born in the remote rural area of Somaliland. When she was only eight,
she experienced FGM and suffered a severe complication including bleeding during FGM. She
experienced periodontal pain which sometimes causes her to visit hospitals. She thinks she
is not living a normal life in many ways, particularly that she is still feeling stress and anxiety
caused by the circumcision.

Doctors advised that she get an open space for a menstrual cycle, but she was rejected by
her parents who said “it’s a bad idea because it will affect her future and nobody will accept
her to marry. Better to endure the pain instead.”

“Of course, If I had power this would not have happened to me. We need to save young girls
from this horrible practice” Nimo said.

Although Nimo suffered, she is happy that she will be able to save her daughters from FGM
and that they will not suffer as she did.

“Whatever happened to me should not happen to my daughters and other girls of Somaliland.
I still remember how painful the practice was. We need to save the future general” she said.

Nimo her problems caused by FGM will be eternal. She still feels the pain during menstruation,
she knows that she will sever when she gets married. She also knows that that she will suffer
whenever she delivers a baby.

“I suffered, my mother suffered, women have been suffering for centuries. We should not let
this to go forever.” She said.

Nimo support eradication of all forms of FGM in Somaliland, particularly in the rural areas.
She would like to join organizations that do FGM work in rural areas if she gets the chance.

“I am from the rural, and I think the worst forms of FGM take place in the rural areas. We need
not to focus on big cities only but fight FGM in rural areas as well” Nimo said.

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STORY 2

I am survivor of FGM, in the year 2010 at the age of 18 my mother instructed me to clean up,
I was curious as to why I would be asked to clean myself. I thought I would be taken out for
a special occasion though I was not sure about it. This was very unusual but I proceeded to
do what I was told to do.

Once I was done with cleaning up myself, I saw woman who seemed to me a stranger but I
was surprised to find out the woman had a razor and other objects. I immediately sensed that
the woman was a traditional circumciser whose job was to mutilate me.

I made a decision to run away because I heard from peers that this traditional practice of
cutting is painful and has far reaching health consequences on young girls. My mother sent
my brothers to immediately apprehend me, I was crying while they brought me back home. I
was taken to the room, forced to lay down on my back while the circumciser came in with a
blade and other traditional medicines. I was blindfolded, while my mother and other women
who were in the room completely immobilized me by holding my arms and legs. I was cut
immediately and I could feel the pain, it was the most painful experience i have ever undergone.

After the process was over, I was bleeding and sobbing in pain to an extent that i could not sit
down or urinate due to severe burning sensation. The pain continued for a while and my mother
was advised to use a Somali traditional herbal medicine (malmal) in case of infection. This
worsened my pain and I was not taken to a hospital due to myths believed by the community
that the pain and infection as a result of the cut will not have any health complications in the
long term.

As a result of the pain, I developed psychological trauma due to the pain, shock and the use of
physical force by those who performed the cut. I struggled with post trauma stress disorder
after the horrible experience that I went through. While I try to overcome the trauma and
pain, I still experience pain during my monthly menstrual cycle.

As a young adolescent adult - would you have agreed to be subjected to FGM?

I would neither agree nor advise any girl to be subjected to this inhumane and barbaric
practice, because it has no health benefits and leads to long-term physical and psychological
consequences. As a FGM survivor, I would like to become an FGM champion in order to
advocate against these harmful traditional practices and to raise awareness by speaking out
against FGM and breaking the culture of silence in our community. If we continue to be silent,
the practice will continue. We must speak out against FGM.

18
STORY 3

Asma Mohamed is 18 years and is preparing the first degree of Nutrition Science at the
University of Hargeisa. She is also one of the Youth Peer Network (Y-PEER) recent trainees.
In early years of her live, she underwent FGM and suffered chronic pain during her adulthood
which on many occasions caused here to leave the school and stay at home because of the
menstruation pain.

As an FGM survivor, Asma believes that FGM is human rights violation as well as violation
against Islamic religion. She learned Qur’an and could not find a verse encouraging female
circumcision. She why this was done to her and is now committed to fight against all forms
of FGM and other harmful practices.

“When I feel severe pain, I used to miss classes. And then it was difficult for me to catch up
on classes I missed. I frequently asked students to help me and this made me feel ashamed,
because I didn’t want them to think that I have no capacity to study. I still feel the psychological
scars the FGM caused to me” she said.

Asma would like to continue to fight against FGM in Somaliland. She is now a volunteer that
closely works with Y-PEER. She particularly collects information on FGM and is planning to
write a series stories about the FGM in Somaliland. “I will do my best to save young girls”
Asma said in an interview with Somaliland Y-PEER.

19
 Developed by the United Nations Population Fund
Somalia Country Office

For more information, please contact:

Anders Thomsen Nkiru Igbelina-Igbokwe Ridwaan Abdi

Representative GBV/Gender Specialist Humanitarian Specialist

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

+252 613 992 565 +234 816 756 5330 +252 615 131 030