Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD)
Report on Somalia’s National Human Rights Conference
Date: April 20th, 2025
Location: Mogadishu, Somalia
Background
From April 15th, 2025, the Federal Government of Somalia, through the Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development, convened its first-ever National Human Rights Conference in Mogadishu. The event was widely publicized as a landmark step towards advancing human rights in the country. High-ranking government officials, international partners, and representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs) were invited to participate in the three-day forum.
The Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD), a leading national network advocating for the protection and promotion of human rights and the safety of human rights defenders, attended the event in the spirit of dialogue and accountability. However, we wish to express serious concerns over the content, format, and implications of the conference.
Key Observations and Concerns
1. Lack of Progress on UPR Recommendations
The conference failed to address Somalia’s long-standing commitments under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process. Notably, no meaningful progress has been made on the following critical recommendations:
Establishment of an Independent National Human Rights Commission: Despite repeated promises during past UPR cycles, Somalia has not operationalized a credible, transparent, and independent human rights institution as per international standards.
Accession to the Rome Statute of the ICC: Somalia has made no effort to ratify or engage with the Rome Statute, despite ongoing human rights violations that warrant international legal scrutiny.
Protection of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs): No legislative or policy frameworks have been introduced to guarantee the safety, recognition, or participation of HRDs, including women HRDs and those working in marginalized communities.
2. Exclusion of Civil Society Voices
Despite civil society being listed among the stakeholders, meaningful participation was neither facilitated nor encouraged:
Asad Abukar, Director of the Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD), was present at the conference but was not provided the opportunity to speak or engage in any formal capacity. This reflects a broader trend of symbolic inclusion rather than actual engagement of CSOs in national human rights policymaking.
Panels and discussions were dominated by government officials and donor representatives, with little to no room for grassroots or critical perspectives from frontline defenders.
3. Lack of Justification for Controversial Electoral Reforms
The conference did not provide any legal or procedural clarity on the government’s ongoing push for a “One Person, One Vote” electoral model. This policy initiative, while promising on paper, remains:
Legally unsubstantiated: There is no enabling legislation or national consensus supporting its feasibility.
Politically divisive: The model risks excluding minority communities and may reinforce centralized control in the absence of inclusive political dialogue.
4. No Tangible Policy or Legal Outcomes
Although presented as a transformative event, the conference concluded without producing:
Any draft legislation to protect human rights or human rights defenders;
A roadmap or action plan to implement existing international human rights commitments;
Concrete benchmarks or accountability mechanisms.
Instead, the conference relied heavily on rhetoric, failing to translate discussion into action.
Conclusions
The National Human Rights Conference, despite being branded as historic, did not deliver on the fundamental expectations of transparency, inclusivity, and accountability. It fell short of addressing urgent human rights concerns and failed to catalyze legislative or institutional reform.
Without the implementation of the UPR recommendations, genuine engagement of civil society, and protection of HRDs, such events risk becoming performative rather than transformative.
Recommendations
The Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders calls on:
1. The Federal Government of Somalia to:
Immediately establish an independent and well-resourced National Human Rights Commission;
Begin the process of acceding to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court;
Draft and pass a legal framework for the protection and recognition of HRDs;
Ensure genuine and representative participation of civil society in all future human rights processes.
2. International Partners to:
Condition technical support and funding on measurable progress toward UPR implementation;
Support independent monitoring of Somalia’s human rights obligations;
Engage directly with HRDs and local CSOs in Somalia to inform diplomatic strategies.
Prepared by:
Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD)
Contact: info@cshrds.org |