Women in Somalia form a key part of Somali society, with clearly defined and important roles in the family and structure. This includes Somali women in

Somaliland Somaliland, officially the Republic of Somaliland, is an List of states with limited recognition, unrecognised country in the Horn of Africa. It is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden and bordered by Djibouti to the northwest, E ...

, a self-declared republic that is internationally recognized as an

autonomous region An autonomous administrative division (also referred to as an autonomous area, zone, entity, unit, region, subdivision, province, or territory) is a subnational administrative division or territory, internal territory of a sovereign state that has ...

Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...

. From the time of Ismail Urwayni's proselytizing in 1890, until the

Dervish State The Dervish Movement () was an armed resistance movement between 1899 and 1920, which was led by the Salihiyya Sufi Muslim poet and militant leader Mohammed Abdullah Hassan, also known as Sayyid Mohamed, who called for independence from the Bri ...

's defeat by British air bombardment in 1920, women in the strip of land from

Jidali Jidali () is a town in the Sanaag region of Somaliland. Overview Jidali is located north east of the provincial capital Erigavo. The grave of Zubeyr Awal, the eponymous ancestor of the Habr Awal, is also located in the town. The town is approx ...

Sanaag Sanag (, ) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in north eastern Somaliland.Regions of Somalia
Sa ...

in the north, to

Beledweyne Beledweyne (, ) is a city in central Somalia. Beledweyne District is the capital city of the Hiran region. The city is situated in the Shebelle Valley riverine near the Ethiopian border, 210 miles (345 km) north of Mogadishu. Beledweyne ...

in the south were referred to as '' Darawiishaad'' (plural) or ''Darwiishad'' (singular).

Population

Most people in Somalia are

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

s. Somalia's population is expanding at a growth rate of 1.67% per annum and a birth rate of 41.45 births/1,000 people. Somalia's

total fertility rate The total fertility rate (TFR) of a population is the average number of children that are born to a woman over her lifetime, if they were to experience the exact current age-specific fertility rates (ASFRs) through their lifetime, and they were t ...

in 2013 was 6.17 children born per woman, the fourth highest in the world. Most local residents are young, with a median age of 17.7 years. 44.3% of the population are between the ages of 0–14 years, 53.5% are between the ages of 15–64 years, and only 2.3% are 65 years of age or older. The

sex ratio A sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. As explained by Fisher's principle, for evolutionary reasons this is typically about 1:1 in species which reproduce sexually. However, many species deviate from an even sex ratio, ei ...

is roughly balanced, with proportionally about as many men as women. Due to the civil war, exact population statistics for Somalia have been difficult to determine since 1975. According to the United Nations, roughly half the population of Somalia, as of 2014, is female. When compared to other African countries there are lower levels of education and higher levels of infant mortality in Somalia.

History of women's rights in Somalia

By the late 9th century A.D., almost all people living in Somalia had converted to

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

. The rights of women under the

Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...

include the right to life, education, ownership and inheritance of property, as well as the right to give consent to be married and the right to a marriage contract with one's future husband. At the same time, Somali culture has traditionally operated as a

patriarchy Patriarchy is a social system in which positions of authority are primarily held by men. The term ''patriarchy'' is used both in anthropology to describe a family or clan controlled by the father or eldest male or group of males, and in fem ...

, where men made the majority of financial and family decisions, and dominated the public sphere. After Somalia gained its independence from colonial powers in 1960, both men and women were given the right to vote. This led to increased participation of women in public life from the 1970s to the 1980s. Female school enrollment, women in the workplace, and women's participation in politics and the military all increased during that time. The Family Law of 1975 gave equal rights to women and men regarding marriage, divorce, and inheritance of property and restricted polygamy. President

Siad Barre Mohammed Siad Barre (, Osmanya script: , ''Muhammad Ziād Barīy''; 6 October 1919 – 2 January 1995) was a Somali military officer, politician, and revolutionary who served as the third president of Somalia from 21 October 1969 to 26 Janu ...

supported the establishment of the Somali Women's Democratic Organization (SWDO) in 1977 in memory of

Hawo Tako Hawo Tako (1925–1948) was a prominent Somali activist. Biography Hawo Tako, also known as Xaawo Taako or Hawa Osman, belonged to the Jidwaq Abaskuul clan which settled the Jigjiga and Middle Juba region of Somalia, as well as the Fafan Zone ...

, a female member of the anti-colonialist

Somali Youth League The Somali Youth League (SYL, , Arabic: رابطة الشباب الصومالي, or ''Lega Somala della Gioventù''), initially known as the Somali Youth Club (SYC), was the first political party in Somalia. It played a key role in the nati ...

who was killed by the Italian forces in 1948. The Barre regime established the SWDO and appointed its female leadership in order to maintain female compliance with the government.

Gender equality

Women in urban areas are more likely to be head of the household.

Clan and family structure

The

clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, a clan may claim descent from a founding member or apical ancestor who serves as a symbol of the clan's unity. Many societie ...

groupings of the

Somali people The Somali people (, Wadaad: , Arabic: ) are a Cushitic ethnic group and nation native to the Somali Peninsula. who share a common ancestry, culture and history. The East Cushitic Somali language is the shared mother tongue of ethnic Som ...

are important

social unit Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives fro ...

s, and clan membership plays a central part in Somali

culture Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

and

politics Politics () is the set of activities that are associated with decision-making, making decisions in social group, groups, or other forms of power (social and political), power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of Social sta ...

. Clans are

patrilineal Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritanc ...

and are often divided into sub-clans, sometimes with many sub-divisions. Somali society is traditionally ethnically

endogamous Endogamy is the cultural practice of marrying within a specific social group, religious denomination, caste, or ethnic group, rejecting any from outside of the group or belief structure as unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relatio ...

. Women who marry are expected to join their husband's family. To extend ties of alliance, marriage is often to another Somali from a different clan. For example, a 1994 study observed that in 89 marriages contracted by men of the

Dhulbahante The Dhulbahante, (, ) are a Somali sub-clan, part of the Harti branch of the larger Darod clan. They primary reside in and around their traditional territories of Nugaal, as well as Doollo. The clan's progenitor is buried at Badweyn. The cur ...

clan, 55 (62%) were with women of Dhulbahante sub-clans other than those of their husbands; 30 (33.7%) were with women of surrounding clans of other clan families (

Isaaq The Isaaq (, , ''Banu Ishaq'') is a major Somali clans, Somali clan. It is one of the largest Somali clan families in the Horn of Africa, with a large and densely populated traditional territory. The Isaaq people claim in a traditional legend ...

, 28;

Hawiye The Hawiye (; ) are one of the principal and largest of the Somali clans, tracing their lineage back to Sheikh Ahmed Bin Abdulrahman Bin Uthman, also known as Sheikh Hawiye, the eponymous figure of the clan. They are considered the earliest do ...

, 3); and 3 (4.3%) were with women of other clans of the

Darod The Darod (, ) is a Somali clan. The forefather of this clan is Sheikh Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, more commonly known as Darod. The clan primarily settles the apex of the Horn of Africa and its peripheries, the Somali hinterlands adjacent ...

clan family (

Majeerteen The Majeerteen, (, ; also spelled Majerteen, Macherten, Majertain, or Mijurtin) alternately known as Mohammed Harti, are a Somali sub-clan part of the Harti branch of the Darod, Darod clan. Traditionally, they inhabit extensive territories in ...

Ogaden Ogaden (pronounced and often spelled ''Ogadēn''; , ) is one of the historical names used for the modern Somali Region. It is also natively referred to as Soomaali Galbeed (). The region forms the eastern portion of Ethiopia and borders Somalia ...

1). In 1975, the most prominent government reforms regarding

family law Family law (also called matrimonial law or the law of domestic relations) is an area of the law that deals with family matters and domestic relations. Overview Subjects that commonly fall under a nation's body of family law include: * Marriag ...

in a

Muslim country The terms Islamic world and Muslim world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs, politics, and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is p ...

were set in motion in the

Somali Democratic Republic The Somali Democratic Republic (; , ; ) was a socialist state in Somalia that existed from 1969 to 1991. Established in October 1969, the Somali Democratic Republic emerged following a 1969 Somali coup d'état, coup d'état led by Major General ...

, which put women and men, including husbands and wives, on complete equal footing. The 1975 Somali Family Law gave men and women equal division of property between the husband and wife upon divorce and the exclusive right to control by each spouse over his or her personal property.

Attire

During regular, day-to-day activities, women in Somalia usually wear the ''guntiino'', a long stretch of cloth tied over the shoulder and draped around the waist. The guntiino is traditionally made out of plain white fabric sometimes featuring with decorative borders, although nowadays alindi, a textile common in the

Horn of Africa The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...

region and some parts of

North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...

, is more frequently used. The garment can be worn in many different styles and with different fabrics. Under the Socialist Barre regime (1969–1991), women were free to dress as they wished, and most urban women did not wear hijab; however, after the outbreak of the

Somali Civil War The Somali Civil War (; ) is an List of ongoing armed conflicts, ongoing civil war that is taking place in Somalia. It grew out of resistance to the military junta which was led by Siad Barre during the 1980s. From 1988 to 1990, the Somali Armed ...

in 1991, most women in Mogadishu started to wear hijab for the first time, and those who did not were harassed. During regular, day-to-day activities, Somali women usually wear the , a long stretch of cloth tied over the shoulder and draped around the waist. In more formal settings such as weddings or religious celebrations like Eid, women wear the , which is a long, light, diaphanous

voile (; French for veil) is a soft, sheer fabric, usually made of 99% cotton or cotton blended with linen or polyester. Named for its light weight, the fabric is mostly used in soft furnishing. In tropical climates, ''voile'' is used for window tr ...

dress made of cotton or

polyester Polyester is a category of polymers that contain one or two ester linkages in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include some natura ...

that is worn over a full-length

half-slip A slip is a woman's undergarment worn beneath a dress or skirt. A full slip hangs from the shoulders, usually by means of narrow straps, and extends from the breast to the fashionable skirt length. A half slip (or ''waist slip'') hangs from the ...

and a brassiere. Married women tend to sport head-scarves referred to as ''shash'', and also often cover their upper body with a

shawl A shawl (from ''shāl'') is a simple item of clothing, loosely worn over the shoulders, upper body and arms, and sometimes also over the head. It is usually a rectangular piece of Textile, cloth, but can also be Square (geometry), square or tr ...

known as . Unmarried or young women, however, wear hijab, and the is also commonly worn.Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi, ''Culture and Customs of Somalia'', (Greenwood Press: 2001), p.117-118. For more formal settings such as weddings or religious celebrations like Eid, women wear the dirac, a long, light, diaphanous voile dress made of cotton, polyester or saree fabric. Known as the gorgorad, the underskirt is made out of

silk Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...

and serves as a key part of the overall outfit. The dirac is usually sparkly and very colorful, the most popular styles being those with gilded borders or threads. The fabric is typically acquired from Somali clothing stores in tandem with the ''gorgorad''. In the past, dirac fabric was also frequently purchased from South Asian merchandisers. Somtradanhd4

Married women tend to sport head-scarves referred to as ''shash'', and also often cover their upper body with a

known as ''garbasaar''. Unmarried or young women do not always cover their heads. Traditional Arabian garb such as the jilbab is also commonly worn. Additionally, Somali women have a long tradition of wearing gold and silver jewelry, particularly bangles. During weddings, the bride is frequently adorned in gold. Many Somali women by tradition also wear gold necklaces and anklets. Xirsi, a quranic necklace, also worn in countries such as Ethiopia and Yemen, is also frequently worn.

Henna Henna is a reddish dye prepared from the dried and powdered leaves of the henna tree. It has been used since at least the ancient Egyptian period as a hair and body dye, notably in the temporary body art of mehndi (or "henna tattoo") resulti ...

is another important part of Somali culture. It is worn by Somali women on their hands, arms, feet and neck during weddings, Eid,

Ramadan Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (''Fasting in Islam, sawm''), communal prayer (salah), reflection, and community. It is also the month in which the Quran is believed ...

, and other festive occasions. Somali henna designs are similar to those in the Arabian peninsula, often featuring flower motifs and triangular shapes. The palm is also frequently decorated with a dot of henna and the fingertips are dipped in the dye. Henna parties are usually held before the wedding ceremony takes place. Somali girls and women who practice Islam will wear

hijab Hijab (, ) refers to head coverings worn by Women in Islam, Muslim women. Similar to the mitpaḥat/tichel or Snood (headgear), snood worn by religious married Jewish women, certain Christian head covering, headcoverings worn by some Christian w ...

. This has become the most familiar mode of dress for Somali girls and women. According to a poll cited by

Face2Face Africa Face2Face Africa is a media company based in New York, U.S. The company's online portal reports on Global Black news and current affairs covering topics such as politics, entertainment, and culture. Face2Face Africa holds events, such as the 30 B ...

, Somalia has the most beautiful women in

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

Literature

Somalia has a long tradition of poetry. Several well-developed Somali forms of verse include the female-driven '' buraanbur'', as well as ''gabay'', ''jiifto'', ''geeraar'', ''wiglo'', ''beercade'', ''afarey'' and ''guuraw''. The gabay (epic poem) is mostly composed by men has the most complex length and meter, often exceeding 100 lines. It is considered the mark of poetic attainment when a young poet is able to compose such verse, and is regarded as the height of poetry.Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi, ''Culture and Customs of Somalia'', (Greenwood Press: 2001), p.75-76 ''Buraanbur'', which is of a lighter measure, is primarily composed by women. Groups of memorizers and reciters (''hafidayaal'') traditionally propagated the well-developed art form. Poems revolve around several main themes, including ''baroorodiiq'' (elegy), ''amaan'' (praise), ''jacayl'' (romance), ''guhaadin'' (diatribe), ''digasho'' (gloating) and ''guubaabo'' (guidance). The baroorodiiq is composed to commemorate the death of a prominent poet or figure.

Notable women

Notable women in the country include: * Honourable Fawzia Yusuf H. Adam, a Member of Parliament and Former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister * Nasra Ali Abukar, Somali track athlete *

Hodan Ahmed Hodan Ahmed (; ) is a Somali political activist. She helped form the Somali Women Parliamentary Association the Transitional Federal Parliament of Somalia, which was succeeded by the Federal Parliament of Somalia. She serves as a Senior Progra ...

parliamentary consultant and activist * Amran Mohamed Ahmed, Somali author, poet and journalist * Maryan Ahmed Ali, former Puntland Ministry of Women Development and Family Affairs second time *

Asha Gelle Dirie Asha Gelle Dirie (, ; born 1966) is a Somali politician and civil society activist. From 2005 to 2012, she served as the Ministry of Women Development and Family Affairs of the Government of Puntland. Dirie is also the founder and Executive Di ...

, former Puntland Ministry of Women and first women Member of

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...

. * Fadumo Dayib, First female Presidential Candidate. *

Rahma Guliye Rahma Bint Guliye, also Rahma Mohamed Guliye, is a politician and activist in the Federal Government of Somalia. She is Hirshabelle State's Minister for Women and Human Rights, and was the first Somalian MP to be elected from the Degoodi, Degodia ...

Hirshabelle State Hirshabelle, officially Hirshabelle State of Somalia ( Somali: ''Dowlad Goboleedka Hirshabelle ee Soomaaliya''), is a Federal Member State in south-central Somalia. It is bordered by Galmudug state of Somalia to the north, South West State o ...

's Minister for Women and Human Rights *

Anisa Hajimumin Anisa Abdulkadir Hajimumin (, ) (born November 20, 1978) is a Somali American politician, social activist and writer. She also former Puntland Minister of Women and Family Affairs. Background Hajimumin was born in the Puntland region, situate ...

, former Puntland Ministry of Women. * Maryan Hassan, Somalia's first Chief Trade Negotiator to the

World Trade Organization The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland that regulates and facilitates international trade. Governments use the organization to establish, revise, and enforce the rules that g ...

. She is the founder and current CEO of 515. Co-Operative. *

Hanan Ibrahim Hanan Ibrahim (, ) is a Somalis, Somali social activist. She is the Chairperson of the Barnet Muslim Women's Network, among other organizations. Early years Ibrahim grew up in Somalia. She is a mother of three children and a Muslim.Edna Adan Ismail Edna Adan Ismail (; born 8 September 1937) is a nurse midwife, activist, and was the first female Minister of Foreign Affairs (Somaliland), Foreign Minister of Somaliland from 2003 to 2006. She previously served as Somalia’s Minister of Family ...

, former Foreign Minister of the

region *

Hodan Said Isse Hodan Said Isse (; ) is a UNFPA Goodwill ambassador for Puntland. She is the former First Lady of Puntland January 8, 2024–January 8, 2019 and she is a wife of Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, the former President of Puntland. Early life and education ...

UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador __NOTOC__ UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador is an official postnominal honorific title, title of authority, legal status and job description assigned to those goodwill ambassadors and advocates who are designated by the United Nations. UNFPA goodwill a ...

and former First lady of Puntland. *

Adar Ismail Jurati Adar Ismail Jurati is a Somali politician, who is the Jubaland Minister for Women and Family Affairs. She is an advocate for the annual 16 Days of Activism campaign, which focuses on the elimination of gender-based violence and early marriage. In ...

Jubaland Jubaland (; ; ), or the Juba Valley (), is a States and regions of Somalia, Federal Member State in southern Somalia. Its eastern border lies no more than east of the Jubba River, stretching from Dolow to the Indian Ocean, while its western si ...

Minister for Women and Family Affairs * Zamzam Dahir Mohamud, in 2023, she became the first woman to be elected to the

Senate of Somalia The Senate of Somalia is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of Somalia, which, along with the lower chamber constitutes the legislature of Somalia. The Senate chamber is located in Mogadishu, the capital City of Somalia. The term "Se ...

* Gobsan Muhumed, politician who is a member of the

Federal Parliament of Somalia The Federal Parliament of Somalia (; often ''Baarlamaanka Federaalka Soomaaliya''; ) is the national parliament of Somalia. Formed in August 2012, it is based in the capital Mogadishu and is bicameral, consisting of an Upper House (Senate) and a ...

and the

Pan-African Parliament The Pan-African Parliament (PAP), also known as the African Parliament, is the legislative body of the African Union. It held its inaugural session in March 2004. The Parliament exercises oversight, and has advisory and consultative powers, ha ...

Maryam Qaasim Maryam Qaasim (, ) is a Somalia, Somali politician. She served as the Minister for Human Development and Public Services of Somalia from November 2012 to January 2014. She is also the Chairperson of the Tayo Political Party. On 21 March 2017, she ...

, former Federal Minister of Social Development * Hawa Abdi Samatar, former First lady of Puntland. * Ubah Abdirashid Mohamed, Puntland Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management since 2024 * Hodan Said Hassan, Puntland

Minister of Youth and Sports Minister may refer to: * Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric ** Minister (Catholic Church) * Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department) ** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...

since 2022 *

, former First lady of Puntland and

FGM

About 97.9% of Somalia's women and girls underwent

female genital mutilation Female genital mutilation (FGM) (also known as female genital cutting, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and female circumcision) is the cutting or removal of some or all of the vulva for non-medical reasons. Prevalence of female ge ...

in a 2005 study. This was at the time the world's highest prevalence rate of the procedure. A UNICEF 2010 report reported that Somalia had the world's highest rate of Type III FGM, with 79% of all Somali women having undergone the procedure. Another 15% of women underwent Type II FGM.Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Data and Trends: UPDATE 2010
UNICEF, Page 7 The prevalence is on the decline in the northern part of Somalia. In 2013, UNICEF in conjunction with the Somali authorities reported that the FGM prevalence rate among 1- to 14-year-old girls in the autonomous northern

Puntland Puntland is an autonomous state that considers itself to be part of Somalia, despite not accepting the legitimacy of Somalia's current governing administration. It was formed in 1998, and was a federal member state of Somalia from its fou ...

and

regions had dropped to 25% following a social and religious awareness campaign. Article 15 of the Federal Constitution adopted in August 2012 prohibits female circumcision. In southern Somalia, in

, Minister for Women,

, led a consultative meeting in 2022 with government officials and people who perform female gential mutilation (FGM) with a view to stopping the practice in the

Kismayo Kismayo (, , ; ) is a port city in the southern Lower Juba (Jubbada Hoose) province of Somalia. It is the commercial capital of the autonomous Jubaland region. The city is situated southwest of the capital Mogadishu, near the mouth of the Jub ...

area.

Notes

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Women In Somalia Culture of Somalia Society of Somalia

Women in Somaliland