CSHRD Joins the Global Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC)
September 3, 2025 – Mogadishu
The Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD) has been officially welcomed as a member of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC), a worldwide network of civil society organizations dedicated to strengthening international justice and ending impunity for Rome Statute crimes.
In a welcoming message, the CICC Secretariat congratulated CSHRD and reaffirmed the Coalition’s mission to ensure that the International Criminal Court (ICC) remains fair, effective, and independent. Member organizations collectively work to advance stronger national laws, promote justice for victims, and strengthen global cooperation with the Court.
CSHRD’s membership comes at a crucial moment in Somalia’s journey toward accountability. The organization has been campaigning for Somalia to fulfill the 2021 Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations, which urged the Somali government to ratify the Rome Statute and join the ICC. Ratification, CSHRD argues, would lay the foundation for a comprehensive transitional justice process in a country that has endured decades of protracted armed conflict and civil war.
“This is a historic moment for Somali civil society,”, Executive Director of CSHRD. “By joining the CICC, we are amplifying the call for Somalia to meet its human rights commitments, ratify the Rome Statute, and open the door to transitional justice for victims of atrocities.”
Through this new membership, CSHRD will collaborate with hundreds of NGOs worldwide, share expertise, and access key resources to bolster advocacy for justice and accountability both in Somalia and internationally.
Finally, the message was concluded with the final sentence of, “We are excited to have you as part of the Coalition and thank you for your commitment to our shared goal of ending impunity!.”,; says Lilia Cheikh, Membership & Engagement Coordinator at the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC).
For further information amd press inquiries, please contact CSHRD: info@cshrds.org
