Provision of key services would help improve lives

Nairobi, Kenya, Thursday 8 March 2007 – Communities in Somalia should be empowered to access to knowledge and social services to ensure better livelihoods for women in Somalia, UNICEF Somalia Representative, Christian Balslev-Olesen said on the occasion of International Women’s Day today.

“Sustained efforts to provide knowledge and economic benefits in communities are the best way to guarantee women a better future in Somalia and to protect girls and women from abuse, exploitation and discrimination,” Balslev-Olesen said citing the fact that Somalia has one of the highest prevalence rates of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in the world. More than 98% of Somali girls between the ages of 7 to 12 being cut.

Among the challenges that UNICEF and its partners face in Somalia is a maternal mortality that is amongst the highest in the world – 1,013 per 100,000 live births. This rate and an average number of 7 births per woman in her lifetime - translates into a lifetime chance of 1 in 15 for a Somali woman to die as a result of pregnancy and childbirth complications. Complications such as excessive bleeding, prolonged obstructed labor and infections are the major causes of death at childbirth. Anaemia and FGM/C have a negative impact on maternal health. Poor access to quality antenatal, delivery and postnatal care, with an almost complete lack of emergency obstetric referral care for birth complications, further contribute to these high rates of mortality and disability.

Though facing such odds, UNICEF and the international community have made gains to improve the lives of Somali women and children. But more needs to be done. There is need to invest in setting up of infrastructure for provision of vital services to improve the livelihoods of women in Somalia. This would provide them with the necessary foundation to ensure they can give input for sustainable development of their communities. Such infrastructure would not only provide direct opportunities for girls and women, but will additionally come with the value of capacity-building through financial, material and intellectual input. The latter is vital to help kick-start local economies. When combined with similar input to provide water supply and education services, the development effect will be amplified.

For example, access to drinking comes with attendant benefits in hygiene and health and is particularly important for women and children in rural areas, who bear the primary responsibility for fetching and carrying water, often for long distances. In Somalia, UNICEF works to ensure easier access to clean drinking water given that only 29% of the population has access to clean drinking water – 58% in urban areas and 14% in rural areas. To invest in water supply provision for the remaining 71% of the population would entail a worthy input of resources to small and far-flung as well as major, rural and urban locations. Such a process would additionally come with a training and capacity building component to foster growth through private and public sector partnerships.

In the education sector, about 800,000 school age girls need access to basic schooling opportunities – however only 22% are currently enrolled in primary school, compared to 34% of boys.

Teacher training, books, equipment and classrooms are needed. It is not beyond the means of the international community to provide these. What is required is realism, dedication and allocation of resources in concerted and widespread efforts countrywide. Urban, rural, as well as nomadic settings should equally benefit from service provision.

“ Somalia needs a stable foundation for the future. In an era in which information-sharing makes it easier to come up with good development models and solutions within the shortest possible time, it is crucial that on the occasion of International Women’s Day, the international community refocuses on the need to galvanize the momentum raise resources, materials and intellect towards setting up social services in all areas including the most remote in the country,” said Mr. Balslev-Olesen.