UNPO - Somaliland: First Women Lawyers Association Opens With UN Help

The first women’s association in Somaliland in the male-dominated legal profession is established.

Below is an article published by UN News Centre:

The first women lawyers association in Somalia has been established in Somaliland with the help of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

“It will take time for the male-dominated legal profession to understand and accept the importance of women lawyers in society,” Antonia Lulvey, UNDP’s judiciary project manager, said.

UNDP said in a statement yesterday [22 July 2008] that the association, which was created earlier this year, currently has five members, with a further 17 women set to graduate from the University of Hargeisa in September [2008]. The UN agency has provided grants to enable women to attend the law faculty, as well as supplying equipment, training and financial support to the association.

The sole practising female lawyer in Somaliland until last year [2007] was Ifra Aden Omar, who currently heads the association. With UNDP help, Ms. Omar provides free legal aid services to women and juvenile cases – most commonly rape, domestic violence, divorce, child custody, child maintenance and inheritance.

Currently there are no female prosecutors or judges in Somaliland, according to UNDP, which says it is in discussions with local officials on how to support new female law graduates to practise either as prosecutors or trainee judges.