Saadiya Mohamed Noor who is the Director of the Department of Gender in Somalia has been elected as the Chairperson of the Women’s Peace and Security Forum of the regional organization IGAD.
In an election held on December 4 in the city of Mombasa, Kenya, Saadiya was confirmed in that position after South Sudan’s candidate Amer Manyok Deng resigned and took over the post of vice president.
Saadiya’s election has been described as an indication of Somalia’s growing influence on peace efforts in the region, and an opportunity for change for Somali women to demonstrate leadership on the international stage.
Saadiya’s election followed many years of campaigning for Somali women’s rights and peace-building efforts.
“We emphasized the importance of peace and the role of women in uniting societies. This forum is not only about Somalia, it is about creating opportunities for all women in the Horn of Africa,” said Saadiya.
During her tenure, Saadiya plans to focus on three key issues: empowering women in all IGAD member countries, promoting peace initiatives in the region, and promoting social integration.
She emphasized the need to jointly address the challenges faced by women in conflict-affected regions.
The IGAD Women’s Peace and Security Forum was created to address the unique challenges faced by women in the region, especially in conflict-affected areas.
