On June 13, 2025, in the town of Lascanood located near the contested border between Somalia and Somaliland, two young sisters, Fahima Yasiin Mohamoud (16 years old) and Farah Yasiin Mohamoud (17 years old) , were brutally beaten and gang-raped by twenty-five (25) men aged between 17 and 20 years old.
We acknowledge and commend the government for initiating the long-overdue process of establishing a Human Rights Commission, an essential constitutional obligation and a key demand of civil society actors across the country for over a decade.
While this step is welcome and reflects the
Your Excellency, Honourable Commissioner Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie,
The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) is a regional feminist network with over 200 member organizations working across South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, and the Somali region. We welcome this opportunity to address the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) this session.
We note with concern that Somalia remains one of the most perilous countries for women and girls, with gender-based violence (GBV)
The Horn of Africa region has a history of complex peace and security issues driven by governance challenges and regional geopolitics, leading to prolonged and renewed cycles of conflicts. As a result, the region has seen high levels of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) against women and girls. Statistics show that 42% of women in the region have experienced some form of physical or…
Consent is not just a buzzword.
DidYouKnow April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month?
Read more to learn
YOUR GUIDE TO SEXUAL CONSENT AND ASSUALT Read More »
This Briefing Paper, aims to support and strengthen feminist resistance movements and collectives across Africa, empowering them to advance gender justice while remaining inclusive and resilient against the rising attacks from anti-rights movements.
LOST GAINS: SOMALIA’S REGRESSION FROM WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT TO SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION Read More »
In 1975 significant strides were made globally in advancing women’s rights, and Somalia was no exception. That year was a good year for Somali women and around the world as the United Nations designated it as International Women’s Year,
Gender Alert: Backlash Against Women’s Representation and Rights in Somali Politics Read More »
SIHA Network has released a report underscores the dire circumstances faced by Sudanese women and girls amid the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in Sudan. The report focuses on the deliberate use of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV) in Gezira State.
We, the undersigned coalition of women’s rights organizations, women’s rights activists, and women human rights defenders in the Somali region, express our deep sadness and grave concern over the alarming increase of femicides across the Somali territories. The recent incidents in Hargeisa and Mogadishu, where three men brutally murdered their wives, with two of them killed by knives and one burned alive, shocked our collective conscience.
Somalia has long been plagued by conflict, instability, and suffering. Years of civil war, extremist violence, and political unrest have taken a toll on the nation, resulting in displacement, poverty, and unimaginable hardships. In the midst of these crises, women and girls bear the brunt of the burden, facing increased violence, discrimination, and exploitation. …
Women Peace Builders in Somalia: Inspiring Stories of Courage and Resilience Read More »
