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PROGRAM

Capacity Building and Legal Advice for the Federal Member State Legislative Assemblies in Somalia

Project Title: “Capacity Building and Legal Advice for the Federal Member State Legislative Assemblies in Somalia”.

Funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.

Running from 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2024.

Aim: supporting the Somali FMS Legislative Assemblies on a number of public law questions of relevance to sub-national law-making processes, through:

  • systematic capacity building; and
  • the provision of technical legal advice and comparative research.

Component One: Provision of legal and technical support for selected law-making processes at the FMS level

Upon instruction of the Offices of the Speakers, project staff supported relevant parliamentary committees by conducting reviews of draft legislation, providing commentaries and accompanying research papers on draft legislation, and supporting the legislative drafting process.

Highlights of successful law-making processes supported:

  • Review of the FMS Constitution in Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Jubaland, and SWS;
  • Development of State Police Laws in Galmudug, Hirshabelle, and SWS;
  • Development of Local Government Laws in Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Jubaland;
  • Development of Environmental Protection Laws in Jubaland, and Puntland;
  • Development of Land Laws in Galmudug and Hirshabelle;
  • Development of Financial Management and Accounting Laws in Hirshabelle and Puntland;
  • Development of Election Laws in Galmudug.

The first component was complemented by a series of capacity-building workshops for selected members of the Federal Member State Legislative Assemblies.

(8 Workshops at 5 FMS Legislative Assemblies = 40 Workshops).

Topics:

  1. Introduction to Political Decentralisation and Federalism;
  2. Federal Member State Constitutions;
  3. Distribution of Competencies in Federal Systems;
  4. Compatibility of state- and federal law in federal systems;
  5. Fiscal Federalism;
  6. Organization of Multi-level Elections in Federal Systems;
  7. Intergovernmental Relations and Cooperation in Federal Systems;
  8. Security Arrangements and Responsibilities in Federal Systems.

Component Two: Legal and technical support for the Female Members/Women Caucuses of the FMS Legislative Assemblies

Entirely new project component, which aimed at enhancing the role of female members of parliament and ensuring adherence to women rights in the law-making processes at the FMS Legislative Assemblies.

Key feature was the employment of a dedicated Technical or Legal Advisor at each Assembly, who provided constant technical and legal advice for the Female Members/Women Caucuses of the FMS Legislative Assemblies.

Highlights of successful law-making processes supported:

  • Enhancement of women rights in the State Constitutions of Galmudug, Hirshabelle, and Jubaland;
  • Anti-FGM Law in Galmudug;
  • Anti-Gender Based Violence Law in Hirshabelle;
  • Protection of Persons with Disablities Law in Jubaland.

Highlights of other law-making processes supported (which have not been adopted before the end of the project):

  • Anti-FGM Bills in Hirshabelle, Jubaland, Puntland, and SWS;
  • Sexual Offences Bill in Galmudug and SWS;
  • Equal Opportunities and Women Empowerment Bill in Puntland and SWS;
  • Child Rights Protection Bill in SWS.

Also the second component was complemented by a series of capacity-building workshops for Female Members/Women Caucuses of the FMS Legislative Assemblies.

(8 Workshops at 5 FMS Legislative Assemblies = 40 Workshops).

Topics:

  1. Women Rights in the 2012 Provisional Constitution;
  2. Improvement of the Representation of Women Interests in the Somali Constitutional Review and Law- Making Processes;
  3. The Law-making Process and Representation of Women Interest;
  4. Governmental Oversight Processes and Representation of Women Interests;
  5. Legal Systems and Legislative Drafting Standards;
  6. Ensuring Women and Minority Representation in Electoral Systems;
  7. Facilitation of Collaboration among and Organisation of Female Members of Parliament;
  8. Constituency Work and Representation of Women Interests.

Component Three: Legal and technical support for the Parliament Administration at the FMS Legislative Assemblies

Key feature of the component was the employment of a dedicated Technical or Legal Advisor at each Parliament Administration, who provided constant technical and legal advice.

Highlights of successful administrative processes supported:

  1. Development of a Strategic Development Plan in Hirshabelle and Jubaland;
  2. Review and Improvement of the RoPs in Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Jubaland, and SWS;
  3. Development of a Code of Conduct in Galmudug, Jubaland, and SWS;
  4. Development of a Public Outreach and Engagement Strategy in Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Jubaland, and SWS;
  5. Development of Report Writing Guidelines in Puntland and SWS;
  6. Development of a Document Management Policy in Jubaland, Puntland, and SWS.

Also the third component was complemented by a series of capacity-building workshops for selected staff of the Parliament administration of the FMS Legislative Assemblies.

(8 Workshops at 5 FMS Legislative Assemblies = 40 Workshops).

Topics:

  1. Role of Administrative Staff in a Legislative Body;
  2. Rules of Procedure;
  3. Meeting and Process Planning;
  4. Taking of Minutes and Recordings;
  5. Clerical Support to Report Writing and Documentation of Parliamentary Procedures;
  6. Clerical Support for Public Engagement and Outreach Meetings;
  7. Research Methodologies and Standards;
  8. Effective Filing and Storage Systems.