Somalia is showing resilience to persistent security, human rights and socio-economic challenges, but needs continued international support as climate change and natural disasters exacerbate suffering, loss of livelihoods and rights violations, an independent United Nations expert said today. In her new report to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), Isha Dyfan highlighted the ongoing insecurity in the East African country.
“The conflict between Al-Shabab and the Somali authorities, with the support of allied regional and international forces, continues to have a devastating impact on civilians while deadly inter-clan conflicts over access to natural resources and political power also continue exposing civilians to increasing violence and displacement,” Dyfan, the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia, said in a statement on Monday.
While inter-clan fighting causes thousands to flee their homes each year, the non-state armed group Al-Shabab remains the main security threat, targeting civilians and government forces. Al-Shabab has been fighting to overthrow Somalia's central government in Mogadishu for nearly two decades.
According to the report, which covers the period from July 2023 to June 2024, the security situation in Somalia remains volatile. The armed conflict between the Somali government and Al-Shabab continues to have a severe impact on civilians, who bear the brunt of the conflict in central and southern Somalia, while civilians are also impacted by inter-clan conflict.
Between July 2023 and May 2024, 801 civilian casualties - 352 killed and 449 injured - were recorded, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). Al-Shabab was reportedly responsible for 404 of the casualties and unidentified parties for 138, while 118 were attributed to the Somali security forces. Clan militias were responsible for 141 of the casualties.
Dyfan expressed deep concern that patterns of human rights violations continue unabated in the country, particularly with regard to the rights of women and children, internally displaced persons (IDPs), persons with disabilities, members of minority clans and other vulnerable groups. She called on the Federal Government of Somalia to take concrete measures to ensure their protection..
“I welcome positive steps that lay the foundations for a transition process to facilitate the implementation of Somalia’s national and international human rights obligations and commitments, including the human rights benchmarks and indicators,” she said.
“However, it is clear, that we should not lose sight of the reality on the ground that continues to have devastating effects on Somalia’s populations, particularly the vulnerable groups.”
The Independent Expert called on the international community to continue its support to Somalia to strengthen the human rights institutions of the Federal Government and Member States, as well as civil society organizations.
“It is only through respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law that Somalia can make meaningful progress towards its peace and sustainable development goals,” Dyfan said.
Her report warns that the dual crises of armed conflict and the impact of climate change on the human rights situation in Somalia have remained cyclical over the years, limiting progress on the humanitarian front, especially in rural areas of Somalia and those under the control of Al-Shabab.
“It is important to note that, as the number of humanitarian crises around the world increases, the funds available to respond adequately to all the humanitarian needs become scarce. The international community must assist Somalia in securing access to climate change adaptation funds to support climate change resilience,” the report said.
The overall humanitarian situation in Somalia remains precarious, with 6.9 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in 2024.
The country is extremely vulnerable to climate change, the effects of which continue to threaten the lives, health and livelihoods of the population. Changing climate patterns are exacerbating droughts, floods and desertification, leading to food insecurity, conflicts over resources and displacement.
Somalia is still recovering from the historic drought between 2020 and 2023, which was followed by heavy rains and floods - the worst in decades - between October and December 2023 as a result of the El Niño phenomenon. In 2024, the Gu rainy season - April to June - threatened thousands of people across the country.
Throughout Somalia, heavy rains and flash floods have led to loss of life and livelihoods, including livestock and farmland; damage to small businesses; destruction of infrastructure, including shelters, water sources, latrines and schools; and damage to roads.
Displacement remains widespread, with millions of people forced to flee their homes and live in appalling conditions in displacement sites. Women and children make up more than 80 percent of the displaced population and face significant protection risks. As of May 2024, an estimated 3.9 million people were internally displaced in Somalia, mostly due to flooding, conflict and insecurity, and drought.
Millions of Somalis face increased food insecurity as below-average rainfall between October and December 2024, linked to the La Niña weather phenomenon, could reverse recent gains in food security.
The La Niña phenomenon is a climate pattern that typically follows El Niño. La Niña conditions are expected to prevail between October 2024 and February 2025, substantially affecting rainfall distribution and temperatures.
The latest IPC analysis shows that 3.6 million people - 19 percent of the population - are currently experiencing crisis levels of hunger (IPC3 or worse) in Somalia. This number is expected to rise to 4.4 million between October and December this year, coinciding with forecasts of below-average Deyr rains, with nearly 1 million people estimated to be in emergency levels.
In addition, 1.6 million children under the age of five are at risk of acute malnutrition, with 403,000 at risk of severe acute malnutrition (SAM). United Nations agencies have warned that without immediate funding for humanitarian operations, Somalia could slide back into a severe hunger crisis.
Further information
Full text: Report of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia (A/HRC/57/80), 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council, interactive dialogue on October 7, 2024
https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/g24/142/08/pdf/g2414208.pdf