Isha Dyfan, the UN Independent Expert on the Situation of Human Rights in Somalia, will visit the country for the first time from March 28 to April 2, 2022.
Dyfan’s visit comes after she was appointed as an independent expert by the Human Rights Council in 2020 to assess, monitor, and report on the situation of human rights in Somalia, with the goal of making recommendations on technical assistance and capacity-building in the field of human rights.
The UN expert will meet with government officials, including the Minister of Women and Human Rights Development, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Youth and Sports, and members of parliament, during his visit. She will also meet with representatives from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), UN agencies, civil society representatives, and international non-governmental organizations.
The Independent Expert will visit Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, and go on a field mission to a Federal Member State, where she will meet local officials and civil society activists working to protect and promote human rights. She will monitor and assess the state of human rights, with an emphasis on economic, social, and cultural rights during her visit.
Dyfan will present her preliminary findings at a press conference later this week at the United Nations compound in Mogadishu. Details will be released as soon as possible. Journalists will be the only ones who have access.
In September 2022, the Independent Expert will present a final report to the Human Rights Council, detailing her findings and recommendations.