Topic: Violence Against Women
Country: Somalia
Delegate Name: Zoe Rosario
School: Royal Oak High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Somalia position papers GLIMUN 2018 committees
Violence against women is a significant issue that occurs in every nation in the world. Fortunately, within the last couple of years, action to end this problem has become a more prevalent global effort. Despite this, sexual violence still accounts for thousands of lives and mental and physical trauma each year. The Federal Republic of Somalia is no exception to this. Last year Somalia suffered a drought and with that, a rise in sexual predators. With droughts comes famine, and women travelled in search of food and frequently became displaced, which means they would travel long distances to find food and other necessities. Women became subjected to rape frequently on their search as they were vulnerable and sometimes without a permanent residence. These two significant issues, sexual violence and hunger, became unexpectedly connected which really shows that violence against women has a wide range of causes. Are there any measures we can take that could domino-effect into the decrease of sexual violence? When writing a resolution it will be important to remember that sexual violence has many causes. Be it lack of education on certain topics, rituals and cultural precedent, or a byproduct of major changes in the environment, violence against women doesn’t have one sole culprit for its existence. By getting to the root of this issue we will be able to make strides in eliminating violence against women around the world. Perhaps providing protection to women who report could be a place to start in ensuring that women will be safe for simply telling the truth. In addition to this, according to Jean Lokenga, head of UNICEF Child Protection in Somalia, we must write a resolution that,"treats cases of gender-based violence in a way that encourages people to continue reporting cases" (CNN). As previously stated, Somalia has laws in place to protect women that are rarely enforced so it is essential to remembering this aspect of violence against women in relation to the law. In May 2013, Somalia’s government signed a joint communiqué with the UN’s special representative on sexual violence in conflict pledging to address the issue “in a comprehensive manner and as a matter of priority” (Human Rights Watch). The Sexual Offences Bill has also recently been adopted, which criminalized all forms of sexual violence, including gang rape, sexual exploitation, and harassment. Including a clear criminalization of sexual violence in our resolution will be key to ending it worldwide. This may include defining what sexual violence or rape is to avoid any loopholes so justice is always served when needed. That being said, Somalia still has a long way to go in terms of progress on eliminating violence against women in the country due to troubles with ensuring these laws are enforced. What measures can we take to make sure laws protecting women are enforced worldwide? Despite the many issues regarding this topic, Somalia is confident that resolutions will be found. Somalia has faced these issues in the past and will look forward to accomplishing policies that mirror the progressive policies of others to leave behind our history of violence against women.
