The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation

Ethiopia felt justified in military action to halt the danger of an attack on
Ethiopia, and to protect the fragile TFG. Despite this threat, the UIC lacked
the military power to attack and invade Ethiopia; indeed, Ethiopia’s invasion
led to the defeat of the UIC and provided an opportunity for the
TFG, led by President Abdullahi Yusuf, to move into Mogadishu in Jan -
uary 2007. The presence of the Ethiopian troops in Somalia led to new
waves of deadly violence, killings, destruction and displacement.
Gender Relations in Somalia
Somalia is a traditional nomadic and patriarchal society. Somali women
occupy a position inferior to that of men; they own less, control less and
lack opportunities. Through socialization, men and women are assigned
particular gender roles and responsibilities. In a traditional family setting,
the man is the head of the household while the woman is the house
manager. As the head of his house, depending on the socio-economic
position of the family, the husband owns all property and livestock, and
has the responsibility to protect and provide for his family financially.
Like other women in traditional societies, Somali women spend many
hours cooking, cleaning, fetching water and firewood, and caring for their
family and animals. As result of the social, political and economic disintegration,
the rigidly defined gender roles and responsibilities have forced
Somali women to take on new roles and responsibilities without spousal
and state support, to meet the immediate needs of their families.
Social practices and social institutions do affect women’s access in the
decision-making arena. An example of this is the clan system in Somalia,
which is a patrilineal system. Through this system, men have the legitimacy
to pass their clan identity to their children. They also have rights
and entitlements within the clan system, unlike women, who are in a
subordinate position. Women are not considered to be rightful clan
members, but temporary members who will later join other clans. Due
to the patriarchal nature of the Somali people, women cannot pass their
clan identities on to their children. Thus, the clan system in Somalia is a
discriminatory system and is therefore detrimental to gender equality.
In the clan system, men are the decision-makers. They are also the lead -
ers and spokesmen of their clans. Somali men hold titles such as Ugan,
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