On International Women’s Day, UN congratulates Somali women for their contribution to building a better Somalia

Mogadishu – On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the United Nations in Somalia today congratulated Somali women for their continued contributions to their country’s development.

“From peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts, to the stabilization activities in areas recently recovered from Al-Shabaab control and the humanitarian response to the ongoing drought – Somali women continue to contribute significantly in all facets of public life,” said the UN Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Somalia, Anita Kiki Gbeho. Somali women’s contributions include organising the provision of humanitarian support – such as food and other essential supplies, and accommodation – for people affected by conflict and the long-running drought.

The United Nations in Somalia recognises the ongoing efforts of Somali women over the years and urges all Somali stakeholders, particularly the country’s leaders, to ensure greater inclusion, voice and participation of women in all national and state-level bodies as part of efforts to realise and sustain peace, prosperity and development in Somalia. 

The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is ‘DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality,’ and aims to highlight the importance of digital technology as an opportunity to narrow gender gaps by enhancing women’s access. If women are unable to access the Internet and do not feel safe online, they will not be able to develop the necessary digital skills to engage in digital spaces.

The United Nations in Somalia encourages Somali women to embrace the use of technology in their work to help build a better Somalia. Somalia's rate of internet usage has been climbing steadily over the past few years and rose by 16.4 per cent from 2021 to 2022, according to digital usage tracking firm DataReportal.

International Women’s Day has been observed around the world since 1975 when the United Nations started marking the occasion to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day marks a call to action for accelerating gender equality.