The meeting has participated in disabled people organizations (DPOs) and other non-disability representatives from different civil society organizations. The meeting was much quit and deeply focused on the challenges faced by disabled people and their colleagues during their day to day work after Banaadir regional administration bomb attack which happened 24 July 2019.
The government of Somalia told the media a person who is behind the attack was a blind lady who used to work Mogadishu municipality office who was in charge by especial need coordinator office. So that people living in Mogadishu met more harassments and challenges during their work and daily life by labeling the attack.
Somali disability empowerment network (SODEN) held this meeting and gathered many civil society including disabled people organizations together discussed the recently obstacles and how disabled people can overcome.
Yusuf Sheikh Ali from NDC, has detailed challenges raised after BRA blast attack as following:
“The BRA blast attack was affected to disability groups in many ways, restricted movements, created more suspects, provocation, insulting, showing hating, when disable person passing security controls removes most possible clothes. Really this is difficulty to the disable people and we request to the government security agencies to respect us”
Also the meeting was raised by the last development of disability rights in Somalia which was made by the government for example participant welcome the newly signed UN convention rights pf persons with disability and the formulation of new National disability agent by ministry of women human rights and family.
The chairman of the Somalia National Disability Agency (SNDA) Mr, Ali Abdulahi, has explained deeply recent development from the government and he said
“This government has built Somali National Disability agency (SNDA) and this agency has passed several stages including two federal houses has already approved and signed and Somalia government has ratified by disability convention.
Also this government gives full respect and supports to the disability issues in terms of internationally and locally. Therefore, to speed up the outstanding issues collaboration and unit among us is very important”
Finally, Mohamed Farah has red in front of the participants the action point and recommendation that was agreed by the participants and it was the following:
Proposed action points:
- To increase media awareness to fight bad cultures against disabled people.
- To build a positive image from disabled people organizations
- To conduct urgent, follow up to the Ministry of women and Human rights development to foster remaining of SNDA process
- To organize a peaceful protest to display and react many challenges regarding the security issue
- To call the government to implement UNCRPD on how to reduce or stop all stigma and harassment against disabled people
