African Union Mission in Somalia support with Somalia’s Ministry of Social Development concluded on Thursday a seminar for women from parts of the country, giving lessons of self defense against men in times of rape.
Somalia is one of the countries women suffer a gun rape, if not the first or the second one in the world.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the seminar, Minister of Social Development of Somalia Dr Mariam Qasim Ahmed said on Tuesday (September 10) that rape is unacceptable behavior.
“We have to train the women to defend themselves from these evil, some times you hear one man raped a woman, she has to defend herself.” Dr Mariam said.
Ikran Ahmed Ga’al, women activist who was attending the training with three ladies she selected from Shabelaha Hose region were she lives, she believes the training is use full for women.
“We have finished the first phase of the training now, we will begin the second phase, we are 20 ladies and the training will go on until 200 women is taught, those 200 will teach the other women in villages and Internal Displaced People’s camps.” Ikran told Somali Current.
Farhia Abdi Awer, a mother of eight, was gun raped six months ago in IDP camp in Dharkenley district of Benadir region. She said that she steel remembers the pain she experienced.
“It was a mid-night, we were our make shift home, a man with a gun entered, at that time I was with my 14-years old girl, so to protect her I accepted his demands.” Farhia told Somali Current.
Farhia was one of the IDP displaced from Shabelaha Dhehe Region when the drought his parts of the country.
AMISOM Police commander Charles Makono said that they will arrest the culprits fit the Somali women inform them.
“AMISOM Police committed to help Somali people,” Makono said.
“It’s not how it’s exaggerated [The rape] in Shabelaha Hose,” Ikran said.
Amnesty International criticized the government’s decision to displace families living in government buildings that the agency said it can cause consequences.
The rape in Somalia was increasing the last three years. Recently, AMISOM Force in Maslah Camp in north Mogadishu was accused of gun raping a Somali woman.
AMISOM Spokesperson contradicted its existence, while the Somali government is investigating.
Addressing at the conference of Scholars against Extremism, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said that the government arrested a number of men accused of rape, but indicated the existence of releasing them in a corrupt way.
Earlier, the president said the government will execute anyone found of raping accusation.
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