Women in Somalia

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the role that women have played in building and keeping peace in Somalia. It looks at whether the participation of women in the peace process leads to greater social recognition of women's rights. It also examines which factors can become obstacles to the greater participation of women in peace-building and decision-making. It then looks at how women's organizations have participated in the peace-making and peace-building process. Special emphasis is given to the unconventional methods that Somali women have used to influence political policies, such as the utilization of kinship and personal connections and other methods of advocacy. In the conclusion, this paper examines whether these roles in peace-building have resulted in the greater participation of women in public life.

Outline:
Women's Status in Somalia
Conflict and Somali women
Women's Role in Peace-Building
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Somalia is not a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). There is also a distinct lack of legal instruments protecting the rights of women. For example, there are no minimum age laws concerning marriage, and young girls are routinely married off to much older men. There are no laws against spousal rape. Furthermore, while laws against rape do exist, they are difficult to enforce. In 2005, for example, there were no officially reports of rape in Somalia. However, many non-government organizations have reported rapes committed by police and militia. Also, as rapes occur in inter-clan conflicts, many rape victims are said to be refugees displaced due to civil war or members of minority clans (US Department of State)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Flanders, Laura. "Somalia turns corner." Working for Change. 21 November 2001 3 August 2006 <http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?ItemID=12386>.
• Garner, Judith. Somalia - The Untold Story: The War Through the Eyes of Somali Women. New York: Pluto Press, 2004.
• Jan, Ameen. "Somalia: Building Sovereignty or Restoring Peace?" Elizabeth Cousens, ed. Peacebuilding as Politics: Cultivating Peace in Fragile Societies. New York: International Peace Academy, 2001.
• Mire, Ahmed Ali. "A look at Women in Somalia." Panorama 19 December 2002 3 August 2006 <http://www.takingitglobal.org/express/panorama/article.html?ContentID=865>.
• UNIFEM, "Somalia -- Country Page." Country Profiles. 1 August 2006. United Nations Development Fund for Women. 4 Aug 2006 <http://www.womenwarpeace.org/somalia/somalia.htm>.

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