STORY: Somali Government Reaffirms

Its Commitment to Fighting Female

Genital Mutilation
DURATION: 4:57
SOURCE: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
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CREDIT REQUIRED: AMISOM PUBLIC
INFORMATION
LANGUAGE:SOMALI NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 27/JULY/2016, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
SHORT LIST
1. Wide shot, Federal government ministers and civil
society organisation representatives attending the high-level
symposium on ending female genital mutilation in Somalia
2. Close up shot, banner with the message Say No to FGM
3. Med shot, Somali University students attending the
meeting
4. Med shot, Federal government ministers at the meeting
5. Med shot, civil society members at the meeting
6. Close up shot, Ifra Ahmed, the Founder of Ifra
Foundation, speaking at the event
7. Med shot, University students at the event
8. Close up shot, religious leader attending the event
9. Wide shot, Federal Government of Somalia Attorney
General, Ahmed Ali Dahir, speaking at the event
10.
Close up shot, a journalist covering the event
11.
Med shot, civil society members at the meeting
12.
SOUNDBITE: (Somali) Ahmed Ali Dahir,
Federal Government of Somalia Attorney General
We need to specifically fight FGM. We need an enabling law. Let us
harmonize our demands with the law. We should be specific about
FGM and not mix it up with circumcision in general.
13.
Med shot, civil society members at the meeting
14.
Wide shot, Federal government ministers and civil
society organisation representatives attending the High-level
symposium on ending female genital mutilation in Somalia
15.
SOUNDBITE: (Somali) Mumina Sheikh Omar,
Federal Government of Somalia Deputy Minister for
Women
The Constitution bars circumcision in general but does not specify
which type. Since the Constitution we have is still provisional, the

Sharia takes precedence. Let us follow Sharia but you can discuss
and give us your views.
16.
Med shot, Federal Government of Somalia Deputy
Minister of Information, Olad Roble speaking at the event
17.
Med shot, civil society members at the meeting
18.
Wide shot, Abdulkadir Sheikh Bagdadi, Federal
Government of Somalia Minister of Religious Affairs speaking
at the event
19.
Close up shot, a student taking notes
20.
SOUNDBITE: (Somali) Abdulkadir Sheikh
Bagdadi, Federal Government of Somalia Minister of
Religious Affairs
It is forbidden to cut the private part of a girl because it is like any
other part of the body. Like the eye, tooth or the ears. If you abuse
it, it is like you have abused any other part and I will not be
ashamed to say it. This part is as important as any other part of
your body.
21.
Med shot, Mane Ahmed, AMISOM Gender Officer,
speaking at the event
22.
Wide shot, Federal government ministers and civil
society organisation representatives attending the high-level
symposium on ending female genital mutilation in Somalia
23.
Med shot, civil society members at the meeting
24.
Close up shot, an AMISOM gender officer speaking
at the meeting
25.
Wide shot, an AMISOM gender officer speaking at
the meeting
26.
Close up shot, an AMISOM gender officer speaking
at the meeting
27.
Med shot, civil society members at the meeting
28. SOUNDBITE: (Somali) Ifrah Ahmed, Founder Ifrah
Foundation
The conference is about the fight against FGM. It was organized by
a number of partners and we are supporting the Ministry of Women
to pass policy and legislation against FGM so that we eliminate FGM
in Somalia.
Somali Government Reaffirms Its Commitment to Fighting
Female Genital Mutilation
Mogadishu, July 27, 2016 - The Federal Government of Somalia
has reaffirmed its commitment to ensure female genital mutilation
(FGM) and other forms of gender violence are eliminated.
The pledge was made at a forum held in the Somali Capital,
Mogadishu, on Wednesday and attended by women leaders from all
the regions in Somalia, officials from the federal government,

representatives from regional states, religious leaders, legislators,

clan elders and members of the civil society.
Addressing the well attended forum, Somalias Attorney General
Attorney General Ahmed Ali Dahir supported the push for legislation
to end FGM. We need to specifically fight FGM. We need an
enabling law.
Let us harmonize our demands with the law. We should be specific
about FGM and not mix it up with circumcision in general, Mr. Dahir
said.
The Attorney General emphasized that Somalia needed to develop
homegrown solutions to eradicate retrogressive practices; arguing
that adopting policies from outside Somalia may be
counterproductive in the fight against female genital mutilation.
The meeting was organized by the Ministry of Women and Human
Rights and the Office of the Prime Minister in conjunction with Ifrah
Foundation, with the support of the African Union Mission in Somalia
(AMISOM), and was officially opened by the deputy Minister of
Women and Human Rights Ms. Mumina Sheikh Omar.
The Constitution bars circumcision in general but does not specify
which type. Since the Constitution we have in place is still
provisional, the Sharia takes precedence. Let us follow Sharia law
but you can discuss and give us your views, the deputy minister
told participants at the forum.
Calls for a complete end to the age old practice was strongly
supported by the Minister of Religious Affairs, Abdulkahdir Sheikh Ali
Baghdad, who said FGM is a cultural practice that has no place in
Islam.
It is forbidden to cut the private part of a girl because it is like any
other part of the body. It is like the eye, tooth or the ears. If you
abuse it, it is like you have abused any other part and I will not be
ashamed to say it, Baghdadi said.
AMISOM Gender Officer, Mane Ahmed, who spoke on behalf of
AMISOM, reiterated the Missions commitment to supporting efforts
to end the practice, which is deeply entrenched in Somali culture.
Presentations at the forum illustrated the dangers faced by women
and girls who have undergone the practice. Somalia has the highest
FGM prevalence rates in the world, standing at 98-percent.
According to Ms. Ifrah Ahmed, the Founder of Ifrah Foundation, the
conveners of the meeting, intense lobbying for legislation against
FGM will continue. She said her organization would work with the

Ministry of Women and Human Rights and partners such as AMISOM,

to ensure appropriate legislation is passed.
AMISOM has been in the forefront of supporting efforts that promote
human rights in Somalia and is working with the government and
other partners to enhance human rights of Somalis.
END