Gender & Human Rights Workshop

On November 28 th to December 1 st 2007, CRD conducted three days workshop on gender & human right issues in Baidoa, Bay region and the main objective was to raise the awareness of 37 participants from different parties of Bay women groups, local authorities and the different parties of Bay civil society such as youth, human rights organizations, elders, religious groups on the issues of gender, human rights and the impact of war on the family specifically the women

The workshop was opened by members from local authorities of district and regional level and a representative from the ministry of women affair s. After that the sessions started on discussions and hot debates on gender understanding and it's pertinent to the Islamic religion and Somali culture. It obviously ignited well, the need of gender responsive in the rebuilding of Somalia , showing male and female require collaborating in sustaining each other.

In Islamic perspective, participants obviously declared the need of differentiating Islamic concept & the Somali culture towards women's role on both social services and decision making process. And there was collaborative outcome concerns the issue of gender after was heard the advices of both religious leaders and traditional elders which was mentioned the equality of both men and women on the issues like; Education, health, social services, freedom expression, to have possession and so on, the same as on holding political & administrational positions etc.

Besides the above mentioned subject, the workshop emphasized the impact of war to women and highlighted that women were the worst people who are affected by the violence, due to their dual responsibility of the family, in addition of killing, rapping, looting, kidnapping, terrorizing, displacing. Also the workshop gave great chance for Bay women to express and share with others on the impact of war on women and some women argued that sometimes women play a role on fueling the war and at the end of the day women are the only vulnerable group, because women are who will take care of orphans left behind her husband, her father and her brother. In any case, women rested to miss her priority needs and rights. Therefore, at the last session, the workshop concentrated on human rights discussions to over come the stated inconsiderate habits against women & family.

Outcomes of the workshop were:

•  Participant's awareness towards Gender was raised and the roles of both sexes of male and female were clearly identified and agreed.

•  Women's rights based on Islamic religious, Somali culture, Somali constitution and international laws were developed