Somalia strengthens its human rights sovereignty by ratifying the African Charter on the Rights of the Child

Somalia strengthens its human rights sovereignty by ratifying the African Charter on the Rights of the Child

 In a historic step reflecting the maturity of the Somali state and its determination to build a secure future for its generations, the Minister of Family Affairs and Human Rights Development in the Federal Government, Ms. Khadija Mohamed Al-Makhzoumi, announced yesterday, Tuesday, Somalia’s official ratification of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

This high-level diplomatic process culminated in an official delegation, headed by Mr. Musa Mohamed Omar and including Ms. Hajar Gildesh, delivering the instrument of ratification to the African Union Commission at its headquarters in Addis Ababa, thus declaring Somalia’s full membership in the continental system concerned with protecting African children.

This ratification is not merely a protocol procedure, but rather an explicit political declaration by the Federal Government of its absolute commitment to promoting child welfare and fulfilling its regional and international promises. Minister Al-Makhzoumi emphasized that this step is essentially aimed at strengthening national systems and developing local laws to form a protective shield that guarantees every Somali child their right to a decent life, education, health care, and protection from all forms of exploitation, in line with the ethical and legal standards stipulated in the Continental Charter.

This initiative comes within the framework of a comprehensive governmental vision that seeks to align national legislation with fundamental humanitarian principles, while respecting the cultural and social specificities of Somali society. This opens wide the doors to international cooperation in support of child protection programs in the country.

Somalia's investment in protecting children's rights today is, in reality, an investment in the stability and national security of the state. Building a healthy society begins with safeguarding the dignity of its children, and this ratification embodies this as a cornerstone in the development process led by the Federal Government towards a bright future for all its citizens.