CRD - Center for Research & Diaogue

Mid ka mid ah madaxda Xarunta Cilmi Baarista iyo Wada Tashiga (CRD) ee magaaladda Muqdisho, Jibril Ibraahim Cabdulle, oo ay BBC-du waraysatay ayaa waxa uu ka warramay dhibaatooyinka horyaalla dowladda la filayo

WOMEN IN JUSTICE SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION: The civil war in Somalia not only destroyed the state infrastructure and the subsequent collapse of all public and private services but its collateral damage on the rule of law and judicial structures is the most noticeable social breakdown. Women have been targets for rape, abuses, killings, kidnapping, robbing, and loss of properties and use as sexual slaves.

Women often feel perilous going about their daily duties, including traveling for business and working on farms because of danger of physical attack. With all such physical and emotional burden exerted upon them, there are no effective judicial structures in place and, worst of all; women's lack of deeper knowledge about their legal rights. Thus bringing them into more vulnerability to abuses. This is the case, particularly in Mogadishu, where there is no properly functioning legal institutions except the limited judicial structures established by the TNG and the semi-independent Islamic sharia courts deny women to have their rightful access to justice.

The Center for Research & Dialogue (CRD), an afilliate of WSP International, based in Muqdisho was contracted by UNIFEM to train women's groups on gender issues and analysis, collection of legal data, report writing and research methodology as well as train members of the judiciary and law enforcement on key issues that affect women's access to justice within the three legal systems (Sharia law, secular law and customary law).

Training is also intend to facilitate a training in human rights, gender sensitivity issues, violence against women and the trauma victims suffer.

CRD is expected to produce a pamphlet identifying the key areas for advocacy and to link with the development of the Transitional Constitution at the pending Somali national peace conference in Kenya. This document will also reflect Muqdisho women's opinions on the current legal systems and present the women's concerns and grievances with the law enforcement and judicial structures to the judiciary.

CRD, utilising its Gender studies unit, brought together selected Somali legal experts in the field of law to facilitate an extensive training for advocacy of women's legal rights, gender balanced research methodology and creating a pool of networks throughout Mogadishu in an effort to promote women's rights.