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Summary: Under UNICEF sponsorship the activities included among others a large ceremony with more than 200 delegates from different parts of the community, and a rally in which more than 200 street children joined in while waving placards with large font sized slogans that read, "Stop violence against children, Stop FGM."
Somali Children's day started marching from Ofisyone up to Hoter Sahafi. Afterwards a basketball game between Wabari and Hamar jadid took place at the Olympic Fitness Centre. At night time SOCPD and CPN organised a panel discussion and debate through local FM radios Horn Afrik and Banadir. The large ceremony, that started at 8:00am and concluded successfully at 2:00pm, was held at Hotel Sahafi's two conferences hall and the slogans celebrating the importance of Somali Children's day 24 December 2005 were fixed all over the walls of the Hotel. The ceremony was attended by different parts of the community including members from the newly established government , members from the newly appointed Mogadishu administration, Banadir district commissioners , NGOs, CPOs, Media, civil society organisations, Women and youth groups. Children were also invited and UNICEF Child Protection and Youth Officer MR. Mohamed Nur Yalahow was also present. Since December 2002 when some students on board of a mini bus were horribly attacked by militiamen in Mogadishu, the inhabitants of Mogadishu as well as the media and civil society organisations expressed their concern over this incident and came together in a very important and interesting meeting, the outcome of which was the recognition of Somali Children's Day 24 December to mark the day. it was unanimously agreed to commemorate the importance of Somali Children's day every year. In this regard, SOCPD and CPN Mogadishu have organised programmes since and focused the importance of Somali children's day on activities commemorating the spirit of the day. From the beginning of the month of December until the 24th SOCPD and CPN have started programmes stressing the importance of Somali Children's day and raising awareness on child protection topics. Debates, discussions and community mobilisation on CP through local FM radios and meetings with the inhabitants of Mogadishu. The media had shown programmes on child protection speaking of roles and responsibilities, and how to provide care and protection for those disadvantaged children in Mogadishu, especially children in IDP camps and children in the streets. Different parts of the communities expressed their concern over this issue and promised to take immediate action to assist disadvantaged children in Mogadishu by providing care and protection. Children's issues were on the first lines of newspapers and radios to welcome Somali children's Day 24 December. and children's participation on these issues were given priority. In addition,SOCPD has encouraged to expand activities on child protection to children in IDP camps and on the streets as well as to provide free educational opportunities to them. Psycho-social support and counselling has also being provided. SOCPD took part on mobilising security guards in main business canters to give safe environment to the children on the streets so as to lessen the psycho-social problems and to avoid sexual assault against them. The shared information among members as well as the need for awareness on child protection is rapidly increasing . Preparation on Somali Children's Day The impact of the day was evident and awareness on child protection was increasing. Participants were for example prepared to fight against all kinds of corporal punishment on children while the educational networks expressed their commitment to stop corporal punishment by publishing articles about corporal punishment on the media. Thus, parents would become aware of the harm caused by corporal punishment and would eventually bring them to stop all sorts of corporal punishment. Community mobilisation on child protection increased and was well supported for instance when a fire destroyed the houses of 40 families in IDP camp located at industrial road. These families received psycho-social support because they dealt with the situation negatively, which triggered psycho-social problems. A number of street children were given the opportunity to gain education as well as protection. Child protection Advocacy has reached a very high level . Somali children have being living in appaling conditions for the past fifteen years and the majority of the people are not aware of the rights of the children. It is clear however that there is some governmental system that protects Somali children though the new established parliament has not yet ratified the CRC. The parents are not aware of the rights of their children and the children do not know their own rights . The occasion was opened with Koran verses read by Sh.: Mohamed Hassan Abukar., followed by Mohamed Abdi Mohamed (SOCPD) who spoke of the importance of Somali children's day and mentioned that Somali children were suffering unduly. The children at IDP camps are still a very vulnerable group because they lack a clear social support system, social activities and are mostly excluded from the schools and subjected to abuse in their home from house members and no doubt from community at large. The parents of these children have little capacity to protect them and they certainly have no voice. He briefed the participants the findings revealed by UNICEF child protection Study for their information: 300,000 children, or 8% of all Somalia child population suffer today from ongoing symptoms of stress and trauma (sleeplessness, nightmares, depression, stress, etc) resulting from exposure to traumatic events caused by conflict. Children belonging to segregated/outcast and minority clans and internally displaced children are the most disadvantaged of Somali children, without voice and most vulnerable to violence, murder, poverty and lack of access to education, when compared with the general population. 200,000 of all Somali children (5%) have at some time in their lives carried a gun or been involved in militia activities. The average age of enlistment for a child in militia activities is 12 years old. Far too many children are involved in economic activities that are exploitative and are affecting their physical and psychological development and preventing them from going to school. Children working and/or living on the streets suffer from considerable exposure to violence and are also vulnerable to drug abuse, particularly toxic glue and Kat. 12% of the adult Somali population and 8% of children attest to first-hand knowledge of a rape victim; 29% of adults and 31% of children living in internally displaced settings report that rape has affected their family. 14% of girls living outside of their home (orphans) reported that they have experienced sexual harassment from a member of the household. Mr. Mohamed added, that children need special protection and care. It is their right. This right is enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and as well as Somalia's own traditional and religious standards. Children's social, political, economic, cultural and civil rights should be fulfilled. Somali authorities and leaders have the primary responsibility to provide a secure environment for children and to put a stop to any forms of abuse, exploitation, violence and discrimination against children in Somalia. In particular by preventing the killing, targeting and abducting of children, the use of children as soldiers, gender-based and sexual violence against girls and boys, economic exploitation of children, discrimination of children belonging to disadvantaged groups, especially internally displaced children, minority children and children with disabilities, and by bringing to justice those responsible of killing, raping, exploiting and abusing children. Egually by ensuring that victims of violence are provided with adequate care and protection, and have access to basic services . Mr Mohamed hoped for Somali children peace and stability. The chairperson of CPN Mogadishu Mr. Osman Mohamed Abdi spoke of the importance of the day. He highlighted the problems that Somali children have encountered since the downfall of the former regime in 1990. He added that "I am sure , if we stand to take our roles and responsibility with in the community all programs set will be achieved." He sent his condolences to the families of deceased children and hoped Somali children peace and prosperity in the coming year 2006, and that the newly founded parliament should ratify CRC. The regional authorities/administrations should give priority to child protection issues and help suffering children at large while working and giving a hand to institutions and organisations. M. Abdi Hashi Minister of Culture and Art spoke of the ceremony by thanking the organisations and agencies that have been involved and financed the event. He expressed his concern about the problems that Somali children have encountered since the former government collapsed and said, "we have received free educational opportunities , protection , and health services at large, and I am very sorry for the difference between our generation and this generation. I am sure that Somali children had missed out on the first protection structure (Government) and I promise I will cover the child protection issues on the first session of the parliament and propose the ratification of CRC." "I will encourage you to expand your child protection activities and make sure that children themselves participate in the decisions of intervention programs. I am very much interested in UNICEF child protection study that I have just heard and will like to get a copy of the study to share with all my colleagues in the government as well as with the parliament." "I am very sorry that the fighting re-started in Mogadishu yesterday 23/12/2005, which has caused new displacements , killings of civilians. It wasa pity to heard yesterday that four children died in Mogadishu, three of them students and a four month old girl on her mother's back." The students were waiting for the bus to go to school but unfortunately they died when stray motor shell exploded beside them and hit them at Milk factory Mogadishu. The distressed mother of the four months old girl was heard on the radio narrating the incident. The minister added that when he heard about the incident on the radio expressed his dismay and sympathy to the mother who, he said "I am sure she is traumatized and developed psycho-social problem in this regard, I am requesting the warring parts to halt the fighting quickly and consider the innocent families around." Deputy mayor of Mogadishu Mr Ali Mohamed Ali (Ugas Ali )spoke during the ceremony and agreed with minister. He promised that the new administration will work with child protection organisations and will help children in IDP camps at large. He emphasised that death caused by injuries and severe wounds from cross-fire, ambush and free shooting traps and often surprise attacks rank second in the death scale followed by the lack of access and facilities to educate medical staff and poor medical treatment. Bullets, grenades, bombs, which are easy accessible as well as land personal mines which are also commercially available in every localities in the country, have contributed greatly to the rate of child death in Somalia as well as the increasing disabled child population in Somalia, and more so since the outbreak of civil war. "We will work hard to provide a safe environment for Somali children at large because I am sure that they are in critical situation." SOCPD is also calling on the international community to help to guarantee the protection of all human rights and child rights throughout the country, as Somalis are facing threats to their lives and security every day.