This milestone follows advocacy efforts led by Options' The Girl Generation programme and its partners.
After more than a decade of persistent advocacy, the Somaliland government took a historic step in the fight against female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C).
President H.E Muse Bihi Abdi formally approved the signing of the long-awaited Somaliland National Anti-FGM Policy by Hon. Ali Omar, the Minister of Employment, Social Affairs & Family (MESAF) on 18 September 2024. This ground-breaking policy solidifies Somaliland’s efforts towards a zero tolerance stance on FGM/C, marking a significant victory for women’s and girls’ rights.
The announcement was made during a two-day Linking and Learning Forum on September 17-18, which was hosted by the Ministry of Employment, Social Affairs, and Family (MESAF), with support from Options’ The Girl Generation programme and ActionAid International Somaliland. The event brought together civil society groups, NGOs, and leaders from Kenya, Ethiopia, and Djibouti to unite efforts to end female genital mutilation and cutting in Somaliland and across the region.
Muna Isse, Director of Gender at MESAF, shared her excitement: “It’s been an honour working with The Girl Generation team to organise this high-level advocacy meeting. We are thrilled the policy has now been signed – this is a great milestone as we move from advocacy to action in ending FGM/C in Somaliland.”
This achievement is the result of advocacy efforts by MESAF, in partnership with activists and organisations such as ActionAid International Somaliland, UNICEF, UNFPA, Plan International, NAFIS, civil society organisations (CSOs), and The Girl Generation programme, which supports the Africa-led movement to end FGM/C (TGG-ALM).
“FGM is something that affects all of us whether in Somaliland, Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and beyond. 18 September 2024, marked a great step forward and brought together countries, organisations, and partners who have all signed and pledged through a communique that we will join efforts to support the just signed Somaliland Anti-FGM Policy”, says Dr. Edna Aden Ismael, a nurse and Somaliland-based activist..
This success builds upon TGG-ALM’s work in Kenya, including creating the first-ever End FGM/C CSOs Network, in partnership with Kenya’s Anti-FGM Board. At the November 2023 Kenya Linking and Learning Forum, Somaliland representatives gained valuable insights from Kenya’s approaches, leading to the strategy that has now resulted in the signing of this crucial policy. Leaders and representatives from Kenya’s parliament and Anti-FGM Board and Somaliland, Djibouti, and Ethiopia gathered to strategise and exchange valuable insights.
“The approval of an Anti-FGM/C policy offers a wide range of benefits including but not limited to strengthening advocacy efforts, protecting vulnerable girls, laying the foundation for a legal ban, and encouraging a shift in cultural and social perceptions and behaviors around FGM/C.”, says Mohamed Sillah, Executive Director of ActionAid International Somaliland.
On behalf of The Girl Generation, Alice Ngari, the Movement Building Lead, emphasised the significance of this achievement and said, “This milestone is a huge step toward realising our vision of a world where girls and women can exercise their power and rights, have expanded choice and agency, and be free from all forms of violence including FGM/C.”
This is a very important milestone, but so much more still needs to be done. We look forward to continuing to offer our support in raising awareness of this new policy and towards efforts to end end FGM/C as well as early and forced marriages in Somaliland.
For media inquiries, contact Alice Ngari- A.Ngari@options.co.uk