By Dr. Christopher Laker  

Honourable Minister of Justice, distinguished representatives of the Federal Government and Federal Member States, Excellencies, donor partners, colleagues, mentors, distinguished guests, and dear interns. 

It is a pleasure to join you today for the launch of the National Women Internship Programme under the Joint Justice and Corrections Programme. Earlier today, we came together as members of the Joint Justice and Corrections Programme Technical Committee to review the progress that has been made across Somalia's justice sector, discuss ongoing reforms and challenges, and reflect on our collective vision for the future of the programme. One message emerged clearly from those discussions: sustainable justice reform depends not only on institutions, policies and legal frameworks, but also on investing in people. It depends on nurturing a new generation of capable, ethical and committed justice professionals who will carry these reforms forward. 

Today, we celebrate 34 young Somali women who have been selected through a competitive process to begin a structured internship within Somalia’s justice institutions. We heard directly from one of the interns whose journey reflects exactly why initiatives such as this matter. Her story reminds us that behind every statistic, every programme activity, and every reform effort, there are talented young women whose aspirations, determination, and commitment can help shape the future of Somalia's justice sector. 

This programme is important because justice reform is not only about institutions, laws, and strategies. It is also about people — capable, ethical, and committed professionals who serve the public with integrity. By investing in young women legal professionals, we are investing in a justice system that is more inclusive, more representative, and better able to respond to the needs of all Somalis. Their placement across federal and state institutions, including Ministries of Justice, courts, judicial offices, and Attorney General’s Offices, will equip them with practical experience in legal drafting, policy support, judicial processes, prosecution support, and public legal service.  

The programme builds on earlier investments in women’s legal education and leadership. Some of the interns are graduates of previous scholarship support, showing how sustained investment can create real pathways from education to professional service and leadership in the justice sector.  

I would like to recognize the leadership of the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, the commitment of federal and state justice institutions, and the support of our donor partners, particularly the European Union and the Kingdom of the Netherlands through the Somalia Joint Fund. Through JJCP, this partnership is helping advance a Somali-owned, people-centred justice and corrections system that strengthens public trust and improves access to justice.  

To the mentors and supervisors, thank you for opening your institutions and guiding these young professionals. Your support will shape their skills, confidence, and understanding of public service.  

And to the interns: congratulations. Approach this opportunity with curiosity, humility, professionalism, and courage. Ask questions. Learn from your supervisors. Support each other. Every assignment you undertake is part of a larger effort to strengthen justice in Somalia. 

UNDP is proud to support this initiative with the Government of Somalia, UNODC, UNTMIS, donors, and Federal Member States. We look forward to seeing the contribution you will make — not only during this internship, but in the years ahead as future legal professionals, public servants, and leaders. 

Thank you, and congratulations once again. 

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This speech was delivered by Dr. Christopher Laker, Resident Representative, OIC, UNDP Somalia at the launch of the National Women Internship Programme, held on 22 July 2026 in Mogadishu. The programme is implemented under the Joint Justice and Corrections Programme (JJCP) 2023–2027, a joint initiative of UNDP, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Transitional Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS), in partnership with the Federal Government of Somalia and the Federal Member States. With a total budget of US$16.3 million, financed primarily by the European Union and the Kingdom of the Netherlands through the Somalia Joint Fund (SJF), the programme supports the development of a Somali-owned, people-centred justice and corrections system. It aims to strengthen public trust in justice institutions, promote integration between formal and community-based justice mechanisms, and improve equitable access to justice for women, young people, minority communities and other vulnerable groups across Somalia. 

Read more about JJCP: https://www.undp.org/somalia/projects/joint-justice-and-corrections-programme-jjcp