LocationsLeading justice for and by women
A trailblazer for justice in Somalia
December 10, 2024
Sahra has carved out a successful career in law, despite facing many obstacles in what was once an entirely male-dominated field.
Photo: UNDP Somalia
A young mother of two, Sahra Ali Aden, is a rising star in Puntland. At the age of 29 today, she leads the Puntland Bar Association as its vice president. She was elected earlier this year.
When she started her legal career in 2018, she was one of the very few women in the predominantly male legal circles in Puntland. Today, there is almost equal number of women lawyers in Puntland. Almost half of the 137 bar members are women.
Sahra’s stellar progress indicates the changes happening in Somalia's legal landscape, especially since UNDP's law scholarship programme began in 2008 with an aim to improve women’s representation in law and justice. In this conversation with UNDP’s team at her office in Garowe, Puntland, she shares her experience, the obstacles women lawyers face, and the changes she hopes to see in her field.
Sahra is one of over 170 Somali youth who received UNDP scholarships for Master's degrees in law, a programme initiated in 2008.
Photo: UNDP Somalia
Congratulations on your election as Vice President of the Puntland Bar Association! How would you assess the current state of women's representation in Somalia's legal sector?
“It is no-doubt a male-dominated area. But it's not like it was ten years ago. There are more women in the sector now. Two of us were elected to the Bar Association board. Before the UNDP law scholarship programme, which started in 2008, there was only one female lawyer in all of Puntland. Today, we have about 75 female lawyers working across various legal institutions; from government offices to community policing, prosecutor offices, women lawyers are at the forefront of court initiatives. We’re still far from equality, but we’re seeing encouraging progress.”
What makes it difficult for women to pursue legal career here? Why do more men choose this path than women?
“Women here face unique barriers. For one, courtrooms are overwhelmingly male spaces. Judges, secretaries, most lawyers are men. This makes it hard for women to assert themselves. Many women feel uncomfortable or intimidated speaking in front of such audiences, which is amplified by the cultural belief that men are better suited to these roles. Even when women qualify and gain certification, some clients hesitate to hire them, assuming a male lawyer would be more effective.”
How do you manage to find clients and succeed in your career?
“We help clients who often don’t have the means to pay for male lawyers. Many of our clients are people in need, including internally displaced people. Our rates are also generally lower, which makes our services more accessible. Sometimes, to build confidence with clients, we work as a team--a female lawyer paired with a male lawyer. That way, clients feel they’re getting the best of both perspectives. Still, for criminal cases, many clients insist on having male representation, and we are mostly approached for civil cases. So, it’s an ongoing challenge.”
In your opinion, what changes are needed to address these obstacles?
“First, we need to build the capacities of women in law so that they could perform better and compete. Second, we need to help women lawyers expand their professional networks, which play a very important role in the legal sector. You have to have connections. Third, I think, we should also raise public awareness about the qualifications and skills of women lawyer. It is a kind of marketing as well. People seem to believe that men are more capable than women. The media can play a significant role here. Educating the public about women lawyers and their capabilities could shift some of these deep-rooted biases.”
Sahra has dedicated her career to helping clients who often don’t have the means to pay for male lawyers, including internally displaced people.
Photo: UNDP Somalia
How has the opportunity for women in legal field changed in recent years? Are more women pursuing this path?
“It’s definitely better than it used to be. More women are enrolling in law programmes, and today, I’d estimate about 30 percent of law students are women. However, despite this progress, we still lack sufficient numbers. Awareness about governance and women’s rights is increasing, and we have many capable women coming up in the sector, but there’s still room for improvement.”
Can you share a memorable experience from your early career that shaped your approach to this work?
“When I first became certified, I was assigned a land dispute case. I prepared everything and contacted the clients to confirm our agreement. But when they learned I was a woman, they withdrew from our arrangement, saying, “We need our land back, and we don’t want to risk it with a woman lawyer.” That moment was hard. I had worked so hard to get to this point, only to be dismissed because of my gender. I felt demoralized, but after talking to a friend who encouraged me, I continued. I honed my skills over time and eventually proved myself.”
What has been a high point in your career so far?
“In 2022, a pregnant woman came to me. Her husband had brutally assaulted her, causing a miscarriage. She arrived bleeding heavily, unable to afford medical treatment. She was internally displaced, a mother of seven, and had been carrying her eighth child, who lay lifeless in her womb.
With financial contributions from me and my colleagues, she was admitted to the hospital for urgent care. We also alerted the police, who arrested her husband. I represented her in court pro bono, where the husband received a five year prison sentence. “
Have you experienced any low points in your career, perhaps a case where you were unable to make a positive impact?
“Yes, there was a case of a young girl who was raped by an older man. The court sentenced him to ten years, but the case was appealed to the Supreme Court, and traditional elders, who still assert huge power in Somali society, intervened, arranging a marriage between the girl and her attacker. Unfortunately, the elders sometimes hold more power than the court itself, and it was disheartening to see justice compromised in this way.”
What are your future goals?
“I want to pursue a Master’s in Law and, ultimately, a Ph.D. My dream is to join the government again, possibly in the Ministry of Women or the Ministry of Justice, where I can advocate more effectively for women’s rights and help empower women across Somalia.”
When she began her career in 2018, Sahra was one of the few female lawyers in her field.
Photo: UNDP Somalia
About the project
Through the Rule of Law project, UNDP and the government of Puntland have been jointly working to strengthen the institutional capacity of the justice sector in Puntland since 2008. The project, now completed, was funded by European Union, DIFID, Sweden and Norway.
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