Southwest State ministries trained on human rights

By: AMISOM

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has concluded a two-day human rights training workshop for staff from line ministries of Southwest State in Baidoa. The training was organized by AMISOM, in collaboration with UNSOM Human Rights Office in Baidoa. The training is geared towards enabling staff of line ministries to promote and improve the protection of human rights.

The training, which benefitted 27 Southwest State officials including 15 female participants from the ministries of Women and Human Rights Development, Justice and Internal Security, was concluded in Baidoa on Tuesday, 21 January.

The closing ceremony of the workshop was attended by the Southwest State Minister of Women and Human Rights Development, Faiza Mohamed and other officials from AMISOM and the United Nations.

Ulrike Kahbila Mbuton, AMISOM Human Rights Officer, said the workshop was aimed at improving the skills of key staff of the ministries to enhance their capacity to protect the rights of the most vulnerable including women and children.

“It is our hope that the people who have participated in this training would also be able to exercise their duties within the ministry, sensitise people within their communities and respond appropriately wherever they encounter human rights violations,” Mbuton said.

Yusuf Abdikadir Mohamed, Director General of the Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development of Southwest State said the federal government was putting more emphasis on empowering, and protecting the rights of vulnerable people in the community.

“The Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development is working to ensure that every victim can access justice. This can only be achieved through well trained and experienced staff. With support from the human rights sections of AMISOM and UNSOM, we have managed to conduct several workshops and I hope these training will continue until staff of the ministry have the capacity,” Mohamed said.

AMISOM Protection Officer, Gloria Jaase, said the protection of children’s rights in areas of conflict is of very important.

“During this training, we emphasised on the need to protect the rights of children. This is very important, especially here in Somalia where we are dealing with children in armed conflict,” said Jasse.

As part of the Somalia Transition Plan, AMISOM and partners are building the capacity of key Somali institutions so that the Federal Government of Somalia and Federal Member States can take on the full responsibility of managing the country when AMISOM leaves.