SOMALIA: Women in Somalia take to the streets of Mogadishu in a rare show of jubilation, celebrating international women's day for the first time in public since the country's twenty year conflict began.

Record ID: 778657

  • Title: SOMALIA: Women in Somalia take to the streets of Mogadishu in a rare show of jubilation, celebrating international women's day for the first time in public since the country's twenty year conflict began.
  • Date: 9th March 2012
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF WOMEN ACTIVISTS GATHERED IN A CIRCLE (SOUNDBITE) (Somali) FARUN ALI, FEMALE ACTIVIST SAYING: "We call for all Somali women take part peace process in Somalia and call for all men to lay down gun and take part rebuild of their country who are suffering for peace." CROWD WOMAN DANCING/WOMEN CLAPPING AND SINGING WIDE OF CROWD WITH WOMEN HOLDING FLAGS
  • Embargoed: 24th March 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Somalia, Somalia
  • Country: Somalia
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5A406LGJT73SRC68035YZ5WG4
  • Story Text: Women danced in the streets of Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Thursday (March 08) in a rare show of public jubilation. The celebrations were organised by female activist in the embattled capital to coincide with International Women's Day.
    Watched by crowds of onlookers who joined in chanting and singing, the women danced to a beat played out by a male drumming troop. They even took the opportunity to dance with the drummers, shaking their hips and whooping.
    It's a scene familiar to street parties all over world, except here in Mogadishu, such displays of public celebration have been few and far between since war broke out twenty years ago.
    "We are very happy today because we are celebrating a day for women. We haven't been able to celebrate like this for the last twenty years and yet women have been such an integral part of this revolution," Fatima Ilme Nor, one of the women told Reuters.
    Since large numbers of militants withdrew from the capital last July residents of Mogadishu have been gradually re-gaining their freedom. Years of violence reduced the city to a warzone and forced people to hide in houses or safe zones.
    Dancing, singing and music for women have also been taboo in certain areas of Somalia, controlled by Islamic militants who have imposed a strict version of Sharia Law, outlawing activities deemed to be un-Islamic.
    On Thursday however, female activists, mothers, grandmothers and young girls were out in force in a show of solidarity to women all over the world and to celebrate their role in Somalia's struggle for peace.
    "We call for all Somali women take part peace process in Somalia and call for all men to lay down gun and take part rebuild of their country who are suffering for peace," said Farun Ali a female activist.
    As well as marching and dancing the women held plaques and waved flags.
    While women play an important role in family and business affairs in Somalia, high incidents of rape, domestic violence and harassment are reported especially in poorer communities where women's needs and views are often marginalised. In some parts of the country adultery committed by a woman is still punishable by death.
    On rare occasions the sentence is stoning.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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