Women in Somalia face multiple forms of gender-based discrimination and persecution including FGM, forced marriage, domestic violence, and in Al-Shabaab controlled areas, severe restrictions on movement, dress, and behaviour enforced through violence. State protection for women is extremely limited across all regions.
Expert witnesses assess the specific forms of discrimination relevant to the individual appellant's profile and region of origin. This includes clan-specific practices, the role of family and community enforcement, availability of NGO protection, and whether internal relocation provides viable protection for women without clan support at the destination.
Internal relocation for women in Somalia is severely limited. Without clan protection in the relocation destination, women face acute vulnerability. Al-Shabaab's renewed offensive further restricts viable internal relocation options in south and central Somalia for 2025-2026 claims.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What discrimination do women face in Somalia?
Women in Somalia face multiple forms of gender-based discrimination and persecution, including FGM, forced marriage, domestic violence, and in Al-Shabaab controlled areas, severe restrictions on movement, dress, and behaviour enforced through violence. State protection for women is extremely limited. Expert witnesses assess the specific forms of discrimination relevant to the individual appellant's profile and region of origin.
Can Somali women internally relocate?
Internal relocation for women in Somalia is severely limited. Without clan protection in the relocation destination, women face acute vulnerability. Al-Shabaab's renewed offensive further restricts viable internal relocation options in south/central Somalia. Expert witnesses provide specific analysis of relocation viability for the individual profile.