Embassy of the United States
of America
Nairobi, Kenya
Ambassador John Yates
U.S. Special Representative for Somalia
March 8, 2011
On March 8, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, a day President Obama described as a global celebration of the economic, political, and social achievements of women past, present, and future. It is a time to acknowledge women in their quest to participate in their societies on an equal footing with men. Societies that invest in women and girls achieve greater levels of economic progress, prosperity, and political stability. This is true for the United States; it is true for Somalia. We are committed to investing in and supporting Somali women as essential and equal partners for the stabilization and revitalization of Somalia.
Across Somalia, in refugee camps, and in the wider diaspora, Somali women are engaged in peace-building and prosperity activities. They are administering hospitals, earning income to feed their families, running businesses, managing non-governmental organizations, and leading government ministries. The question they now address is how to consolidate and build on their positive contributions to further empower women and strengthen Somalia.
The United States is firmly committed to supporting Somali women’s contributions to bring peace and prosperity back to Somalia. We are engaging women’s organizations in peace building and are supporting efforts to increase their participation in political and governance processes. We are working to increase girls’ enrollment in schools and to empower girls and women through skills training and employment opportunities.
Sixty women across Somalia were trained last year on identifying the nature and roots of conflict and given leadership, communication and teambuilding skills to promote peaceful solutions. Others received training in developing media tools for peace advocacy. At the completion of the training, the women were given small grants to develop their efforts to promote peace and to reduce conflict.
U.S. assistance has also strengthened the capacity and increased the confidence of female members of parliament so that they can take on greater leadership roles. Our assistance led to the establishment of a women’s parliamentary caucus which is actively mobilizing civil society networks to engage in political dialogue. This is a significant achievement as it enables women to have greater representation in Somali politics and other decision-making forums.
Our advocacy has led to greater numbers of girls attending school. In conjunction with Community Education Committees, we increased the number of female Somali teachers, and provided schools with latrines and hand-washing facilities specifically designed for Muslim girls.
We are also working with our Somali partners to ensure that Somali women and girls have access to the same opportunities for skills training and employment opportunities as Somali men and boys. Increasing the job skills and economic opportunities of the entire society increases its ability to prosper. This particularly true in Somalia, where conflict, drought, and violent extremism have devastated communities.
As President Obama wrote, “To win the future, we must equip the young women of today with the knowledge, skills, and equal access to reach for the promise of tomorrow.” That future is a peaceful and prosperous Somalia and its one that will be attained through the participation of all Somalis –men and women, boys and girls.
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