MOGADISHU – The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs has welcomed six young women from federal institutions into a new legal empowerment and internship programme intended to raise women’s representation in the country’s justice sector.
The participants were received at the ministry’s headquarters in Mogadishu by Permanent Secretary Faisal Adan Hassan as they prepare to begin an 11-month training and professional development programme. Called the Legal Empowerment and Internship Programme for Women in Somalia, the initiative will run from June 2026 to May 2027 and offer training, mentorship and workplace experience to 34 women selected from across the country.
Ministry officials said the programme is meant to equip participants with practical legal skills while opening pathways for more women to enter and progress within Somalia’s justice institutions.
The programme is part of wider efforts by the Ministry of Justice and the Joint Justice and Corrections Programme (JJCP) to advance the goals of Somalia’s Justice Sector Strategy 2025–2029, a landmark initiative inaugurated by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre in Mogadishu. The strategy focuses on improving access to justice, strengthening institutional capacity and increasing women’s inclusion in the legal profession[reference:0].
The Ministry of Justice has been working closely with the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme to implement the strategy and broaden justice service access nationwide[reference:1]. The Joint Justice and Corrections Programme, implemented in partnership with UNDP, UNODC and other agencies, remains a flagship initiative aimed at strengthening the rule of law in Somalia[reference:2].
Women’s involvement in Somalia’s justice sector has grown gradually in recent years, although female representation remains limited in many legal and judicial institutions. In 2022, USAID helped Somali women establish the Women Justice Actors Pressure Group, which features women leaders from various professions and backgrounds to advocate for justice, particularly in southern Somalia[reference:3].
In April 2026, the government achieved a significant legislative milestone when a mandatory 30 percent women’s quota was integrated into both the Electoral Law and the Political Parties Law[reference:4]. The second phase of the Women’s Peace and Protection Joint Programme (WPP-II), a two-year initiative supported by the United Nations, is also underway to broaden women’s involvement in leadership and decision-making processes[reference:5].
International partners and Somali authorities have continued to stress the need to expand opportunities for women in leadership and decision-making roles as part of broader state-building and governance reforms. The initiative comes as Somalia continues working to modernize its legal and judicial systems through reforms aimed at improving service delivery, strengthening the rule of law and ensuring greater inclusivity across public institutions.
The Ministry of Justice has convened steering committee meetings with Federal Member States and international partners to strengthen collaboration, review progress, and align efforts to enhance Somalia’s justice and corrections systems[reference:6]. The ministry has also been working to modernise Somalia’s legal framework, including the introduction of a new Criminal Code to replace the outdated 1962 legislation[reference:7].
Officials said the programme is expected to help build a new generation of female legal professionals who can contribute to the country’s ongoing justice and governance reforms.
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