Somali MP exposes sexual assault, corruption and impunity in World Bank Project

Visits: 1362
(Rating 0.0/5 Stars) Total Votes: 0
0 0
Share via Social Media

Somali MP exposes sexual assault, corruption and impunity in World Bank Project

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – A shocking case of sexual assault has come to light in Somalia, involving a Somali woman working on a World Bank funded project at the Ministry of Finance.

Share

Somalia's Minister of Finance Dr. Elmi Nur (centre) speaks during a meeting in Mogadishu on 28 March, 2023. | PHOTO File.

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – A shocking case of sexual assault has come to light in Somalia, involving a Somali woman working on a World Bank funded project at the Ministry of Finance.

The incident has raised concerns about the protection of women’s rights and exposed a web of corruption and impunity within the Somali federal government institutions.

According to Member of Parliament Abdullahi Hashi Abib, who sent a letter to the World Bank on April 30, 2023, the Minister of Finance, Dr. Elmi Nur, failed to take action to safeguard the rights of female employees in his ministry. The letter details how one survivor, Ayaan Said Tukale, an esteemed gender-based violence expert, was terminated after reporting the sexual assault by a high-ranking official at the ministry.

Ayaan, an energetic advocate hailing from the Awdal region, was dedicated to the Recurrent Cost and Reform Financing (RCRF) project. Funded by the World Bank, the RCRF project is aimed to support the Federal Government of Somalia and eligible Federal Member States to strengthen resource management systems, the inter-governmental fiscal framework, and service delivery systems in health and education.

MP Abdullahi Hashi Abib alleges that Ayaan was wrongfully terminated without due process, with the support of the finance minister. The parliamentarian states that Abduqadir Sulayman, the director of the RCRF department, subjected Ayaan to eight months of harassment, bullying, intimidation, and mental abuse, culminating in the sexual assault.

In his letter, MP Abib demands the immediate suspension of Abduqadir Sulayman and warns that he will hold the finance minister accountable if action is not taken. The lawmaker highlights the laws of the country and international regulations that prohibit sexual exploitation of women workers, emphasizing the need for justice and protection for survivors.

"I believe this is the only way to deter gender-based violence against working women in Somalia,” he stated.

Moreover, the case sheds light on a cycle of impunity and rampant corruption within the World Bank funded Somalia program. MP Abib exposes the extravagant lifestyle of the RCRF director, which exceeds his official monthly salary. Surprisingly, the office of the Auditor General, the Ministry of Finance, and the World Bank failed to conduct audits of his personal accounts, according to the lawmaker’s account.

The revelations prompt critical questions about the integrity of programs vital for Somalia’s debt relief and the accountability of taxpayer funds. The Minister of Finance and Abduqadir Sulayman have not yet responded to these serious allegations, leaving the public anxiously awaiting their reactions.

The World Bank Group did not respond to our request seeking information regarding any actions taken to address Ms. Ayaan’s case.

The case not only underscores the urgent need for justice for Ayaan and other victims, according to women rights activists we spoke to, but also highlights the imperative to address corruption and ensure accountability within government institutions and externally funded projects.