Hargeisa, Somaliland – A significant conference was held at the Guuleed Hotel in Hargeisa on November 16-17, 2025, to analyze the progress of the Somaliland National Disability Act Draft 2021. The event, organized by the Alkownin Women Voluntary Organization (AWVO) with support from the East African SIHA Network, brought together government ministries, civil society organizations, and the Somaliland National Disability Forum (SNDF).
The conference aimed to review the draft law, which was initially submitted to the House of Representatives for adoption, and assess its adequacy in protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, particularly women.
However, the meeting took an unexpected turn when participants discovered that the Somaliland Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MESAF) had completely repealed the 2021 Disability Act. Attendees were presented with a new, entirely different draft law, which was developed without the consultation or input of disability rights advocates.
Key Concerns and Reasons for Repeal
After extensive analysis, conference participants identified several key reasons behind the Ministry’s controversial decision to repeal the original act:
- New Leadership, Lack of Institutional Memory: The current Minister, Deputy Minister, and Director General of MESAF are new to their roles and appear to be unaware of the extensive, multi-stakeholder process that led to the creation of the 2021 draft, which was developed at the direct request of Somaliland’s disability community.
- Marginalization of Disability Officials: The Disability Affairs Department within MESAF, which was intended to be led by persons with disabilities, is now controlled by non-disabled officials who have failed to defend the original welfare law.
- Abolishment of Presidential Advisory Role: The position of Presidential Advisor on Disability Affairs, a crucial liaison between the community and the government established by former President Muse Bihi Abdi in 2017, has been completely abolished by the current administration of President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdilaahi (Cirro).
A Unified Response
The 50 participants expressed profound concern over the Ministry’s actions, describing them as an outrageous reversal of progress. In response, the conference unanimously decided to take immediate action to pressure the Ministry to reverse its decision.
A dedicated committee was appointed to lead a campaign advocating for the restoration and swift implementation of the original, inclusive Somaliland National Disability Act. The goal is to convince the Ministry and all relevant stakeholders that the law protecting the rights of persons with disabilities must be reinstated without delay.
