STORY: UNSOM holds meetings on the impact of

Somali traditional justice system on women

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SOUND
DATELINE: 17-24/JULY/2017, KISMAAYO, BAIDOA- SOMALIA

SHOT LIST:

KISMAAYO- Dateline - 24/07/17

1. Wide shot, officials and participants present during the forum on the role of
women on the Somali Traditional Dispute Resolution in Kismaayo
2. Med shot, officials present during the forum on the role of women on the
Somali Traditional Dispute Resolution in Kismaayo
3. Close up, officials present during the forum on the role of women on the
Somali Traditional Dispute Resolution in Kismaayo
4. SOUNBDITE: VIRGINIE BLANCHARD, JUDICIAL AFFAIRS OFFICER,
UNITED NATIONS ASSISTANCE MISSION IN SOMALIA (UNSOM).
The idea was to give women some space to express how they feel about
traditional justice system, whether it protects womens rights or not. So
they really expressed their concerns. They identified practices that they
dont want to accept any more. Like, for example, the fact that in the
traditional justice system, the young girl will be given as compensation to
another clan in case of murder and things like that. So the first part of the
discussion was more about how they feel, and the second part was about
exploring ways on how (they) themselves can bring changes.

5. Wide shot, participants present during the forum on the role of women on
the Somali Traditional Dispute Resolution in Kismaayo
6. SOUNDBITE: (SOMALI) ABSHIRA QAMIS, CHAIRPERSON,
KISMAAYO WOMEN COOPERATION.
We dont have women to whom we can report our cases. We dont have
female elders to whom we can explain our private issues. We dont have
women to address the problems we face. This has led to challenges and
disappointment. It is mainly due to ignorance, underdevelopment and
failure to involve women in decision-making like men.
7. Med shot, participants present during the forum on the role of women on
the Somali Traditional Dispute Resolution in Kismaayo
8. SOUNDBITE: VIRGINIE BLANCHARD, JUDICIAL AFFAIRS OFFICER,
UNITED NATIONS ASSISTANCE MISSION IN SOMALIA (UNSOM).
If they want to see changes, they need to fight and to advocate for
changes. So, it was more about how can we move forward. And it was
clear in the discussions that they really need some more training on
advocacy skills, how to present their case, and what kind of expectations
they can have. So, we will prepare them and then they meet with
traditional elders and claim for their rights.

BAIDOA - Dateline - 17/07/17

9. Wide shot, officials and participants present during the forum on the role of
women on the Somali Traditional Dispute Resolution in Baidoa
10. Med shot, officials and participants present during the forum on the role of
women on the Somali Traditional Dispute Resolution in Baidoa
11. Close up, participants present during the forum on the role of women on
the Somali Traditional Dispute Resolution in Baidoa
12. Wide shot, officials and participants present during the forum on the role of
women on the Somali Traditional Dispute Resolution in Baidoa
13. SOUNDBITE: (SOMALI) FARHIYA AHMED ABDI, GENDER OFFICER,
SOMALI POLICE FORCE.
I am a police officer from the gender office in Baidoa. Every day we
receive cases of women who are physically abused and tortured by their
husbands. The challenge we face is that whenever we arrest the man and
present the cases to courts for prosecution, traditional elders go to the
courts and interfere with the cases. This jeopardizes the rights of women.

14. Wide shot, participants present during the forum on the role of women on
the Somali Traditional Dispute Resolution in Baidoa
15. Med shot, participants present during the forum on the role of women on
the Somali Traditional Dispute Resolution in Baidoa
16. Close up, a participant present during the forum on the role of women on
the Somali Traditional Dispute Resolution in Baidoa
17. Wide shot, participants present during the forum on the role of women on
the Somali Traditional Dispute Resolution in Baidoa
18. SOUNDBITE: (SOMALI) LUL ISSAK ADAN, MEMBER OF THE
SOMALIA SOUTH-CENTRAL NON-STATE ACTORS (SOSCENSA).
This forum has enlightened us about our rights. Since there are the
traditional law and courts and we are women; the rights of women are
 always violated as elders try to resolve our cases traditionally. We are
happy with the seminar.

19. Close up, participants present during the forum on the role of women on
the Somali Traditional Dispute Resolution in Baidoa
20. Med shot, officials present during the forum on the role of women on the
Somali Traditional Dispute Resolution in Baidoa
21. Wide shot, officials and participants present during the forum on the role of
women on the Somali Traditional Dispute Resolution in Baidoa

STORY

UNSOM holds meetings on the impact of Somali traditional justice

system on women

BAIDOA, KISMAAYO, 25 July 2017 - The United Nations Assistance Mission

in Somalia (UNSOM) has held a series of consultative meetings with a cross-
section of Somali women leaders to collect their views on the traditional
justice system and how it hinders womens access to justice.

Held in Baidoa and Kismaayo, the discussions brought together women local
leaders, government officials and civil society representatives. The idea was
to give women space to express how they feel about the traditional justice
system and whether it protects womens rights or not, explained Virginie
Blanchard, a Judicial Affairs Officer from the UNSOM Rule of Law and
Security Institutions Group (ROLSIG) which convened the meetings.

Discussions focused on the challenges women face in accessing justice and

also addressed proposals for reforms. They identified practices that they
dont want to accept any more. Like, for example, the fact that in the
traditional justice system, a young girl will be given as compensation to
another clan in case of murder, Ms. Blanchard stated.

Speaking at the forum in Kismaayo, Abshira Qamis Ismail, the Chairperson of

the Kismaayo Womens Cooperation organization, attributed the obstacles
facing women to a lack of female representation in the formal and traditional
justice sectors. She added that these challenges had been compounded by
ignorance about the law.

We dont have women to whom we can report our cases. We dont have
female elders to whom we can tell our private issues. We dont have women
to address the problems we face, noted Ms. Abshira.
Speaking at the forum in Baidoa, Farhiya Ahmed Abdi, an officer of the
Somali Police Force said that traditional elders prefer to resolve cases
regarding the abuse of women outside the formal courts - where cases are
adjudicated more quickly and within the traditional justice system instead,
where most male perpetrators go unpunished.

Every day we receive cases of women who are physically abused and
tortured by their husbands. The challenge we face is that whenever we arrest
the man and present the cases to courts for prosecution, traditional elders go
to the courts and interfere with the cases, Ms. Farhiya observed. This
jeopardizes the rights of women.

Lul Issak Adan of the Somalia South-Central Non-State Actors, a local non-
governmental organization, described the meeting in Baidoa as an eye-
opening exercise for women. This forum has enlightened us about our rights.
Since there are the traditional law and courts and we are women, the rights of
women are always violated as elders try to resolve our cases traditionally,
Ms. Lul said.

It was clear in the discussions that (women) really need some more training
on advocacy skills, how to present their case and what kind of expectations
they can have. We will prepare them and then they can meet with traditional
elders and claim for their rights, Ms. Blanchard added.

The two meetings also identified concrete steps that women can take to
achieve better representation within the countrys formal and traditional
judicial systems.

END