Following commemorations of the international Women’s Day citizen Geleh Ali Gulaid pays tribute to the women of Somaliland 
Somalilandsun : On this international Women’s Day, no nation is more indebted and thankful to the enduring sacrifice of its women, who truly are their unyielding backbone In the face of all the persistent adverse impediments facing it: Draught, Inflation, environmental degradation and gender inequality.
The peace we as Somalilanders enjoy was cultivated and nurtured through the toils of the everyday women of Somaliland, who brought this nation from the arduous circumstances of a postwar environment riddled with despair and destruction.
The benevolence and the altruistic ways of Somaliland’s women has been a force for good against the apparent poverty and inequality in our society. The ordinary and community oriented women of Somaliland have insulated many from the abject poverty and still they continue to be the bedrock that the poor have depended on, especially given the bleak reality in our unrecognized nation where 1/3 of urban population live in the poverty. Surely, they are the bedrock of our society looking after the wellbeing and welfare of the populace, starting with their families, neighborhoods and so on. They are guided by social norms where they ensure the poor don’t go hungry and that those in need rely on the greater community for support.
The strides and progress that Somaliland has made is because of the dedication and commitment of these self-sacrificing everyday women of Somaliland, and one of the main reasons this nation is surviving a quarter of century later.
Also a great appreciation for the women in leadership positions in either the public or private sector helping shape the vital issues of concern for our nation such as health, environment and the economy.
Starting with Somaliland’s first lady Amina M. Jirde who has utilized her position as platform for the empower women and her role as championing those causes such as, Disparities in Education, security &safety, Gender Based Violence-GBV, health, and economic empowerment of the Somaliland women. Somaliland’s first lady’s commitment for the social programs that address the plight of poor can be seen in the investment in the social services made by Ahmed M. M. Silanyo’s administration. Programs of social support such free primary schooling, doubling the government salaries, assisting the disabled & mentality ill, addressing gender disparate in literacy and better access to government sustained health facilities has been instrumental in easing the adversarial economic hardships confronting the poor in Somaliland. And on the continental level, the first lady’s leadership role in in the AUC’s backed campaign on accelerated reduction of maternal mortality (CARMM).
Beyond the first lady, there are countless other women in leadership roles in the public and private sectors serving our nation and two examples are Shukri Ismail Bandare, minister of environment who deserves our appreciation in her quest to protect the environment and stop the cutting down of trees for the purpose of charcoal and finding the alternative source of energy to combat the overall environmental degradation in Somaliland.
In the private sector there is Edna Adan, who is celebrating 15years since the creation of Edna Adan Maternity Hospital this month and is still going strong on her gallant mission to combat the deficiencies in our health system, because the abhorrent morbid mortality stats where in Somaliland over 1000 mothers die for every 100,000 births and once born 1 in 14 dies before the age of one.
On this international women’s day, Somaliland is indebted to the resilience and resolve of its women. Who truly are the Secret to our survival and strength of our success.
Geleh Ali Gulaid
Geleh@hotmail.com
