• Human rights protection

SWEC works with the federal government, federal member states, civil society organisations, and the international community to protect human rights by speaking up for women’s rights and gender equality, supporting other women leaders and other organisations that empower women’s rights, and educating the next generation of women leader to learn about their basic rights.

We open discussions and organize a forum for the public to urge the authorities to prioritize increasing focus on accountability for those responsible for human rights violations, addressed impunity for violations, improve access to justice for victims of human rights abuses and ensure access to healthcare for those attacked and the general public.

We call upon the government to comply with existing human rights, promote knowledge and new tools for human rights protection, strengthen protection standards, and advocate for enforcing court decisions on those who violated human rights.

• Gender Equality

Women only accounted for 24% of the 2016/17 election and account for 20% of the 2021/22 election country’s parliamentary seats and entrenched gender norms still prevail in Somali society. To combat gender inequality, we introduce initiatives that are being implemented in the workplace. Emphasizing, respect for and protection of the human rights of all Somalis is a necessary step toward achieving and sustaining gender equality.

SWEC promotes gender equality in Somalia by initiating legislation to ensure the participation and inclusion of vulnerable groups in public life, such as women, people with disabilities, and minorities. We provide support for the promotion of gender equality and women’s economic empowerment in the workplace and help identify, collate, organize, and disseminate data on gender equality.

• High-level social and political advocacy

We use high-level political, social, and academic meetings and forums as a tool to advocate for women’s political and human rights by presenting evidence-based research, highlighting success stories and strategies, and engaging in lobbying strategies that help bring attention to these issues. In high-level meetings such as the National Consultation Conference, we demand that FGS and FMS leaders respect and make sure the 30% quota is executed, as well as express the need to strengthen the judicial institutions for better human rights protection.