By Asha Elmi - Reporter
Somalia, 20 November 2025 — Somalia’s Council of Ministers has approved a draft law banning female genital mutilation (FGM) alongside the National Strategy on Women, Peace and Security during its weekly meeting chaired by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre today.
The Anti-FGM draft law outlines measures related to preventing harmful practices while the Women, Peace and Security Strategy will regulate women’s participation in peace and security processes.
The cabinet’s decision comes amid continued concern about the prevalence of FGM in Somalia and across the region.
According to UNICEF’s August 2025 report, A Profile of Female Genital Mutilation in Eastern and Southern Africa, Somalia has the highest prevalence rate in the region, with 99% of girls and women aged 15 to 49 having undergone FGM.
The report estimates that around 6 million Somali girls and women are living with the long-term consequences of the practice. It also notes that FGM is most commonly carried out between the ages of 5 and 9, and that the most severe form — where the genital area is sewn closed (infibulation) — remains widely practised in the country.
Reacting to the cabinet’s decision, the Minister of Family and Human Rights Development, Khadija Mohamed Al-Makhzoumi, thanked members of the Council of Ministers for approving the two frameworks.
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“This step forms part of the continuous achievements made by the Ministry of Family and Human Rights Development during the less than one year I have been leading it,” she said in a statement.
Under Somalia’s legal process, the draft Anti-FGM law will be submitted to Parliament for debate and approval before it can become binding law.
The cabinet meeting also reviewed reports on the national security situation and the impact of the ongoing drought, with officials stating that 4.4 million people require humanitarian assistance due to worsening dry conditions.
The Director General of the National Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), Mahmoud Moallin Abdulle, briefed ministers on current relief efforts and response planning, while the prime minister instructed relevant government institutions to accelerate emergency interventions for drought-affected communities.
In addition to the gender-related measures, the cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding between Somalia and Rwanda and ratified Somalia’s accession to the International Mobile Satellite Organization.
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