UN
A round-up of activities of the UN system in Somalia in March 2024
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Humanitarian | OCHA calls for more support for Somalia's humanitarian response Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Ms Joyce Msuya accompanied by Deputy Director-General of FAO visited Somalia between 7 and 9 March. The UN officials engaged with affected people, frontline humanitarian responders, members of the Humanitarian Country Team, donors, and government counterparts to identify key gaps, challenges, and immediate priorities. The mission aimed to mobilize resources and capacities to scale up the ongoing lifesaving response. ASG Joyce highlighted that Somalia’s future, and the lives of millions of people hang on a very tight balance. One in five Somalis have so little food to eat whereas 1.7 million children face acute malnutrition this year. Health care is limited, cholera is spreading, and more than half of displaced children are out of school. One third of the country’s districts are hard-to-reach. |
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Local Governance | UNCDF revival of local government office brings hope and jobs to rural Somali community With financial contributions from the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the Local Development Fund amounting to $ 355,478.09, along with a significant contribution of $ 177,739.05 from the Benadir Administration, the Kaaran Local Government Office was fully reconstructed and has become a symbol of resilience and local governance. Before the reconstruction, the office accommodated only two departments and 16 staff, with a mere 2% being women. The post-reconstruction scenario tells a different story. The revamped office now houses 7 departments, employing a total of 77 personnel, and boasts a notable increase in women representation, standing at 35%. This transformation also brought about tangible economic benefits. The creation of 61 new job opportunities directly contributes to the local economy, fostering financial stability and community prosperity. |
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Cash transfer | UNICEF conducts emergency humanitarian cash transfer programme In 2022 and part of 2023, the regions of Toghdeer, Sool and Sanag were not spared the devastating effects of the drought. Thousands of families found themselves on the move in search of food, shelter, and water. Many settled in IDP camps dotted around the major urban centres where the humanitarian needs were enormous. With support from the German government, UNICEF initiated a six-month, emergency cash transfer programme for eligible families. The cash transfers averaged about US$60 per month, depending on the size of the family. In total, 14,000 people benefitted from the programme. The programme saved lives as households were able to improve their food security and malnourished children were able to receive treatment. It also boosted the local economy. |
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Humanitarian | FAO’s Deputy Director-General meets people on the frontline of climate change With nearly 7 million people in Somalia – or two out of every five people – in need of life-saving assistance this year, and 1.7 million children likely to suffer from acute malnutrition, the deputy heads of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) went on a field mission to the country to urge continued global support for Somalis suffering the effects of hunger, conflict and climate change. While in Somalia, the OCHA Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Joyce Msuya, and FAO Deputy Director-General, Beth Bechdol, met people on the frontlines of the climate crisis – as well as Government officials, donor partners, and aid workers to scale up response efforts. |
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Human Development | UNDP launches Human Development Report 2023-2024 The Human Development Report holds special significance for Somalia as it marks a unique accomplishment. Through collaborative efforts between the UNDP Somali, the Somalia National Bureau of Statistics (SNBS), and the UNESCO Institute of Statistics, supported by the Human Development Team in New York, Somalia has been reinstated in the global report ranking after three decades. This milestone not only symbolizes a new beginning for Somalia but also lays a strong foundation for the ongoing transition and the development of the new Five-Year Transformation Plan." |
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Gender Equality | UNFPA Marks International Women's Day 2024 On March 12, 2024, UNFPA marked International Women’s Day 2024 in Mogadishu with a captivating data-art exhibition themed 'My Data, My Story', showcasing the strides of women in Somalia. The event welcomed distinguished guests including Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, Raisedon Zenenga, Dr. Syed Sadiq, Country Program Manager for UN Women, Somalia, and UNSOS OiC Qurat-ul-Ain Sodazai. They reiterated their commitment to enhancing women’s political engagement and implementing laws safeguarding women and girls' rights. This year’s theme, ‘Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress', emphasizes the imperative of investing in women and fostering collaborative efforts to expedite progress. With 80% of displaced individuals in Somalia being women and girls, the three principals emphasized the urgency of prioritizing women's rights and gender equality. |
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Economic Development | UNIDO triggers opportunities and growth in poultry farming Saido Poultry Farm focused on poultry production but lacked business know-how. UNIDO stepped in and provided entrepreneurship training covering business planning, marketing, and financial management. The training helped Saido Poultry Farm create a solid business strategy, improve operations, and increase sales. As a result, they expanded their customer base, boosted profits, and became a model for sustainable farming practices in the community, inspiring others to follow suit. UNIDO's support transformed Saido Poultry Farm into a successful and profitable enterprise, benefiting both the entrepreneurs and the local economy. |
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Mine Awareness | UNMAS ensures the safety of the communities in Bangala area of Daynile district in Mogadishu Bangala area, located in the Daynile district in the north-western parts of Mogadishu, was once a stronghold of the Somali National Army, until it was abandoned in the 1990s. As new residents settled into the area, they faced the constant threat of explosive hazards. To address this alarming situation and to prevent potential accidents UNMAS took action and deployed explosive ordnance disposal and risk education (EORE) teams in the area. Working closely with the affected communities, they delivered risk education messages to raise awareness about the dangers of explosives. Additionally, they conducted surveys to assess the level and extent of the contamination and cleared explosive remnants throughout the area and its environs. Since 2023, UNMAS contracted teams have contributed to ensuring the safety and security of the civilian population in Banadir region by facilitating 370 EORE sessions benefiting 2989 people, 53% of which were children, and verifying 22,500 square meters of suspected hazardous areas. |
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International Women's Day | UN calls for more women’s participation and representation On International Women’s Day (IWD), the United Nations called on the Somali authorities to invest greater effort in ensuring women’s inclusion in politics and making the minimum 30 per cent quota for women’s parliamentary representation a reality. “The minimum 30 per cent quota will go a long to helping promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in Somalia. Despite numerous challenges, Somali women continue to make significant contributions to peacebuilding and reconciliation – this is through service as Members of Parliament, on civil society organisations and on youth associations, to name a few – but there needs to be even more investment of resources to build on this progress as investing in women is a cornerstone for building inclusive societies,” said the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Catriona Laing. |
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