Vardosa Hanshi

I am at a training session focusing on gender-based violence against persons with disabilities. One of the attendees is Fatma. We have changed her name and voice to protect her identity. She was just seven years old when a routine injection went terribly wrong, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. That moment, she says, marked the start of a lifetime of struggle.

In Somalia, more than 1 in 10 adults live with a disability, with the majority being women. The women I spoke to described feeling invisible in a society where deep-rooted cultural beliefs and misconceptions leave them vulnerable to stigma and gender-based violence. Ferdowsi Khalif from the Bright Somali Foundation has been working to change that.

For decades, disabled people in Somalia have fought for legal recognition. One of the loudest voices has been Mohamed Didier, a visually impaired activist leading the Somali Disability Empowerment Network. Mohamed has spent years campaigning for the National Disability Protection Act, which was finally signed into law in December 2024 by President Hassan Sheikh.

One of the law's key provisions, Article 7, guarantees political representation for persons with disabilities. It also mandates that at least 5% of jobs in both government institutions and private companies be reserved for disabled people. Mohamed Abdul Jama is the chairman of the National Disability Agency.

You said your organization is responsible for the implementation process. How are you ensuring people with disabilities in Somalia that it's going to be as soon as possible to be implemented? Yes. Because it's a hard situation.

Activists like Mohamed know that passing the law was just the first step. Changing mindsets, breaking down stigma and ensuring real inclusion will take time. But now with the law on their side, they believe they have a fighting chance.