SOMALIA: Mogadishu-based NGO works to protect women and children to curb the rising numbers of sexual violence in the Somali capital

Record ID: 335636

  • Title: SOMALIA: Mogadishu-based NGO works to protect women and children to curb the rising numbers of sexual violence in the Somali capital
  • Date: 5th August 2014
  • Summary: MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIORS OF HAWA TAKO CENTRE / VEHICLE DRIVING OUT VARIOUS OF WOMEN WALKING INTO TRAINING CENTRE VARIOUS OF KHADIJA ABDULLE, SEXUAL VIOLENCE SURVIVOR, AT TAILORING CLASS CLOSE UPS OF KHADIJA CUTTING PIECE OF CLOTH (SOUNDBITE) (English) KHADIJA ABDULLE, SEXUAL VIOLENCE SURVIVOR SAYING: "It was a very sad day and has real
  • Embargoed: 20th August 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Somalia
  • Country: Somalia
  • Topics: General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVADZG1VPKHLKUVNF5TI62F34FI4
  • Story Text: Early morning in Mogadishu, Somalia, the gates of the Hawa Tako Centre have just opened.
    Inside, a group of women are slowly making their way into a large room for today's tailoring class.
    Here, they are taught basic skills in dress making; cutting, sewing and sketching.
    All the women are rape survivors.
    Opened in early 2013, the Hawa Tako Centre is one of the only places victims of sexual violence can go to seek help Khadija Abdulle says she was gang raped and beaten by a group of armed men.
    "It was a very sad day and has really affected my life. After it happened, I was unconscious for two weeks in hospital. Three gunmen beat me and raped me," Khadija said.
    Somalia has one of the highest rates of gender and sexual violence against women in the world. According to United Nations (U.N.) statistics about 1,700 women were raped in Somalia in the first 11 months of 2012.
    The U.N. also reports there nearly 800 cases of sexual and gender violence in the first six months of 2013.
    Some local NGOs say the numbers could be much higher.
    For women like Khadija, the Centre is a lifeline. Along with the tailoring classes, she is also receiving counselling.
    "I feel better now; I have been seeing a counsellor at the centre. I am learning tailoring. I hope this will help me build a better future," added Khadija.
    Sayid Abduqadir is a trainer at the Centre.
    Defying gender and cultural taboos, the teachers here also give the women literacy lessons. Many cannot read or write.
    "The main challenge we face is that most of the survivors are illiterate so we have to teach them how to write and read as well because this is a basic skill they must have. I am happy when I see some of our students run small tailoring shops in their IDP (Internally Displaced People) camps," Sayid explained.
    Somalia is slowly emerging from nearly two decades of war. Sexual abuse against women in the horn of Africa nation is often perpetrated by armed groups including government forces.
    Fatima Ibrahim is the Co-ordinator of the Hawo Tako Centre. She says there is a culture of denial, silence and stigma when it comes to rape in the country.
    "The one obstacle that we face is when we are dealing with the survivors is they declining ... the services in legal aid services whereby they fear the stigmatisation of the society as well as they can't even share the problems they have with their own families," she said.
    The most vulnerable women are those living in Mogadishu's makeshift displaced camps, which host up to 200,000 people who have fled fighting and hunger.
    A majority of camp residents are women, mostly mothers living alone with their children.
    Raliyo Hassan's biggest concern is she has no one to protect her or her two children.
    "During the day, I struggle looking for food for my two sons. At night, I am afraid that gunmen will rape me because I live in an IDP camp and we do not have guards to protect us," confessed Raaliyo.
    The government says it's doing what it can to improve security. But as lawyer, Mahamoud Mahamed explains, much more needs to be done to change long-held patriarchal beliefs that discriminate against women.
    "In order to change men's attitudes, we need more awareness in society and to educate young men. We need to teach them how to respect women and to tell them women are their sisters, daughters and wives," added Mahamed.
    But unless things change, many of Somalia's women and children will continue living in fear while victims of of rape and sexual assault will remain hidden in the shadows.
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