NEW YORK — Khadija Mohamed Al-Makhzoumi on Wednesday addressed a ministerial-level meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York, highlighting the challenges faced by Somali women and calling for stronger international support.
Al-Makhzoumi, Somalia’s minister of family and human rights development, delivered the remarks during a session held as part of the annual global women’s conference at the UN.
In her speech, the minister spoke about the hardships endured by Somali women and their resilience in the face of longstanding social and security challenges, stressing the need for continued efforts to support and empower them.
She also outlined measures taken by the Somali government to combat violence and abuse against women, including the establishment of an emergency hotline to assist women and children and the adoption of laws and policies aimed at protecting their rights.
“To eliminate violence and abuse against our women, we have established an emergency hotline to support Somali women and children, while also passing effective laws and policies to safeguard their rights,” Al-Makhzoumi said.
The annual global gathering on women’s issues is held each March at the United Nations headquarters in New York, bringing together ministers and delegates from around the world. Somalia is represented this year by a delegation led by Al-Makhzoumi.
