Op-ed: Somalia must uphold constitutional and international norms in forming human rights commission

On Saturday, 31 May 2025, SJS observed media reports indicating that the Minister of Women and Human Rights had began the selection of the members of the yet-to-be-formed NHRC. This body, according to the Provisional Constitution, is to be established by the Federal Parliament, not by the President’s Office or a cabinet minister. It is deeply concerning that Minister Khadija Mohamed Al-Makhzoumi, acting under instructions from President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, proceeded this process without transparency and legal clarity thereby violating both national laws and international norms. SJS reiterates the urgent need for a genuinely independent National Human Rights Commission, as articulated in Article 41 of the Provisional Constitution, which states: "The Federal Parliament shall establish a Human Rights Commission that is independent of State control, and has adequate resources to carry out its functions effectively.”
Read the full article here: Horn Observer