Photo: Ramadan in Somalia: Men pray at a mosque in Mogadishu, Somalia, during the holy month of Ramadan. UN Photo/Ilyas A Abukar Even though there was much fanfare and optimism coming out of Somalia a year ago as a new government was put in place and a new constitution was ushered in , the Horn of Africa country is now mired in an internal fight between the government … Continue reading Somalia: A Country in Flux
While we celebrated our Independence Day here in the United States today, Somalia — a country that is currently undergoing a transition to a more stable government — celebrated its Independence on July 1st, 53 years after achieving freedom from British and Italian colonial rule. A colorful celebration took place at Konis Stadium in Mogadishu after several years of internal turmoil with Al-Shabaab, its eventual … Continue reading Somalia Celebrates 53rd Independence Day
Typically when we think of global development we focus on everything that is wrong because the challenges are so great. Rarely are the successes celebrated because with every move towards a goal there is still so much to do. Today we are featuring those stories that have been more about success than failure; more about moving forward than moving backward even if the net result … Continue reading 10 Global Development Stories to be Thankful For
A scene from Lido Beach in Mogadishu, Somalia, with a boy (on right) holding up a shirt to dry in the wind. The beach has become a popular hangout spot for hundreds of Somalis since the withdrawal in August 2011 of the Al Shabaab militant extremist group, which had banned any such social gatherings of men and women. 09 November 2012/ UN Photo: Stuart Price … Continue reading A Return to Normalcy: Mogadishu’s Lido Beach Lively Again
There are over 300,000 children who are engaged in warfare and combat around the world according to UNICEF. This is despite 2002’s Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child which outlaws children under the age of 18 (it was formerly 15 years of age) from being a part of armed conflict. In July 2002 when the Statute of the International Criminal … Continue reading Former Somali Child Soldiers Turned Over to UNICEF
One of the big international stories of the year is Somalia’s new government. The United Nations helped usher through the “Roadmap for the End of Transition” from a Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to fair elections held on September 10, 2012. Secretary Clinton praised the signatories of the transition in late August and some experts say the September elections were the fairest in Somalia in 42 years. … Continue reading Somalia’s Concerted Move Toward Gender Equality
Somalia has a new government and with it a new provision in its constitution in Title 2: Article 15: Liberty and Security of the Person that bans female genital mutilation (FGM). The new law states: Circumcision of girls is a cruel and degrading customary practice, and is tantamount to torture. The circumcision of girls is prohibited. According to several reports between 90% to 95% of all … Continue reading Female Genital Mutilation Banned Under New Somalian Constitution
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