GENEVA – Geneva Council for Rights and Liberties ( ECHR) urged the Somali federal government to put in place measures to protect civilians, especially children, during armed conflicts that still threaten the country, to strengthen the rule of law, accountability, and to put an end to the climate of impunity. It also emphasised the need for Somali security forces to enhance their compliance with international human rights law.
GCRL issued the joint oral statement with the International Institute for Rights and Development in Geneva during an interactive dialogue on agenda item 10 of the forty-fifth session, which was devoted to discussing the report of the independent expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia.
While noting the Somali government’s effort and progress in rebuilding institutions, extending the state’s authority and its cooperation with international human rights mechanisms, and activating its commitment to more international agreements, Geneva Council believes that Somalia faces many economic and political challenges in light of the volatile security situation and the effects of the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, in addition to other environmental factors such as the spread of locusts, droughts and floods, which affected 5.2 million people who are now in dire need of humanitarian aid.
In the statement delivered by Ms. Lamia Fadla, the head of the organization, GCRL called for urgent measures to be taken to provide support to floods and droughts victims and to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to them.It also called for advancing women’s rights, enhancing their position in society, enabling them to participate in public life and decision-making, and to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. In addition to reducing the violation of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and reconsider the proposed amendments to the press law.
Here is the full text of the statement:
Human Rights Council: 45th Session
Item 10: Interactive Dialogue on the Situation of Human Rights in Somalia
Thank you Madam President,
We would like to start off by thanking the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia for her report, which would contribute to finding a plan to improve and protect human rights, strengthen accountability and the rule of law in this country that has suffered from the scourge of the long-standing armed conflict and the worsening of the protracted humanitarian crisis.
While we welcome the considerable progress made by the Somali authorities in rebuilding institutions, extending the state’s authority and its cooperation with international human rights mechanisms, and activating its commitment to more international agreements such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention against Torture, Somalia still faces many economic and political challenges in light of the volatile security situation and the effects of the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, in addition to other environmental factors such as the spread of locusts, droughts and floods, which affected 5.2 million people who are now in dire need of humanitarian aid.
Madam President, we therefore call on the Somali government to:
– Put in place measures to protect civilians, especially children, during armed conflicts that still threaten the country, to strengthen the rule of law, accountability, and to put an end to the climate of impunity. It also emphasised the need for Somali security forces to enhance their compliance with international human rights law.
– Provide the necessary support to floods and droughts victims and to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to them.
– Advance women’s rights,enhance their position in society, enable them to participate in public life and decision-making, and to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
– Put an end to violations of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and reconsider the proposed amendments to the press law.
Thank you.
