LocationsSomali women flourish in policing and justice
“I’ve seen this country break, and I’ve seen it stand again.”
November 12, 2025
Somali women working in the police are not only breaking barriers but building trust and reshaping how justice is delivered in their communities.
Photo: UNDP Somalia
Somalia is a country of breathtaking beauty, rich culture, and extraordinary resilience. Yet, all too often, global narratives about Somalia are dominated by conflict, poverty, and instability casting a shadow over the real stories of strength and transformation happening every day.
Somali women working in the police are not only breaking barriers but building trust and reshaping how justice is delivered in their communities.
Colonel Rahma Salaad Mohamed
Born in Diinsoor district in Southwest State of Somalia, Colonel Rahma Salaad Mohamed, 44, stands as a symbol of resilience and leadership in a country once known as one of the most challenging security environments in the world.
Rahma joined the Somali Police Force in 2007, driven by the harsh economic realities of post-conflict Somalia. “I was three months pregnant when I began my training,” she recalls.
“We were 79 recruits, only 10 of us were women. We ran 10 kilometres every morning in a territory where lions lived and roam.”
Colonel Rahma Salaad Mohamed (second left) and Captain Samira Nazar.
Photo: UNDP Somalia
Colonel Rahma Salaad Mohamed.
Photo: UNDP Somalia
Amid the ruins of Mogadishu, Colonel Rahma was part of the second police force reassembled after the civil war. “We rehabilitated our own stations with bare hands. Every night, we were under siege by insurgents who would later become Al-Shabaab. “We guarded reconciliation conferences and protected civilians under fire.”
In one unforgettable moment, two armed women assailants disguised as vegetable vendors attempted to attack peace talks. “I stopped them myself,” she says. “That day, many lives were saved.”
Rahma has witnessed war, loss and unimaginable hardship, but also progress.
“I’ve seen this country break, and I’ve seen it stand again,” she says. “And I’m proud to be one of those holding the line.”
First Lieutenant Halim Sadiyo Yousuf
First Lieutenant Halim Sadiyo Yousuf, 38, serves as the Head of Somali Police Orphanage Care, which gives the children of deceased police officers a chance at a brighter future. Halim joined the police force in 2007. “My neighbours told my mother I had lost my way, that I would bring shame to the family,” she said.
First Lieutenant Halim Sadiyo Yousuf.
Photo: UNDP Somalia
First Lieutenant Halim Sadiyo Yousuf.
Photo: UNDP Somalia
Her mother supported her, but her father resisted. “After many discussions, he finally agreed.”
Halim underwent rigorous training which combined physical endurance with deep lessons in law enforcement and public duty.
But the path wasn’t smooth. Due to intense conflict and security risks, Halim left the force temporarily. “I feared for my safety,” she said. “The country was in chaos.” She returned in 2012 to help secure Somalia’s parliamentary elections, protecting MPs in Mogadishu.
Halim was appointed head of Somalia’s police orphanage in 2014. It supports more than 300 children of fallen police officers, providing education, care and guidance.
“This is more than a job; it’s a mission,” she says.
Captain Samira Nazar
"Police work is more than a job, it is a form of worship, a duty to serve your people and your country," says Captain Samira Nazar, a Somali-Norwegian trailblazer.
Samira was born in Mogadishu and raised in Norway.
After seeing an announcement about new police recruitment on the internet, Samira packed her academic certificates, including her degree in criminology and security studies, and flew home.
Captain Samira Nazar.
Photo: UNDP Somalia
"I came back to help my people," she says.
Samira was selected for advanced training in Djibouti. She began in the Somali Police Commissioner’s Office, quickly rising through the ranks. Her next assignment placed her on a mobile unit tasked with overseeing checkpoints throughout Mogadishu, a crucial role for a city navigating security threats and rebuilding civic trust.
"It wasn’t easy. But during COVID-19, we expanded our work, leading awareness campaigns and keeping the public informed and safe."
Impressed by her performance, the Somali Police Commissioner appointed Samira as Police Station Commander for Shibis District, a role traditionally held by a man. She handled domestic violence and family disputes as well as theft and public safety, with discipline and compassion.
Today, Captain Samira serves as Deputy Commander of the Bartamaha Division in Mogadishu, overseeing five police stations.
"Managing security in Mogadishu is not an easy task," she says, "but when I see children walking to school safely and markets buzzing with activity, I know we are making a difference."
Captain Fatima Abdulkadir
At just 18, Fatima Abdulkadir heard a radio announcement that would change her life: the government was rebuilding the police force and recruiting at Puntland’s Armo Police Academy. She applied, setting in motion a journey that would see her rise from trainee to policymaker in Garowe, Puntland.
She faced skepticism and discouragement from her own family.
“Everyone told me policing would ruin my future,” Fatima recalls. “But my mother always reminded me of the famous quote by Nelson Mandela: ‘Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world’.”
Fatima earned a law degree through a UNDP scholarship programme. At Garowe Police Station she provided legal support, often to displaced and marginalized women. “I was shocked by the number of women reporting violence, rape and forced marriages,” she says.
In one landmark case, Fatima and a mother pushed back against attempts to quietly settle the rape of a 7-year-old girl. The perpetrator received a 17-year prison sentence.
Fatima now serves as Head of the Gender and Legal Unit in the Puntland Police, where she trains and advises on legal and gender-related work. Her mission is clear: bring more women into the force and advance community policing.
“Women are less corrupt, more trusted, and better understand the community,” she says. “That’s why I tell Somali women ‘join the police—you can make real change from within’.”
Lieutenant Colonel Idil Abdullahi Hassan
Lieutenant Colonel Idil Abdullahi Hassan witnessed the devastation of Somalia’s civil war that uprooted her family and sent them to Kenya, where she pursued her education before advancing to university studies in Malaysia. Her return to Mogadishu in 2014 was meant to be brief.
“I never imagined joining the police,” she says. “But when I returned, I felt an obligation to stay and be part of the change happening in the country.”
Lieutenant Colonel Idil Abdullahi Hassan.
Photo: UNDP Somalia
She quickly identified a critical gap in the Somali Police Force and founded Somalia’s first-ever united dedicated to addressing sexual and gender-based violence.
“It was a turning point. We didn’t just handle rape and abuse cases, we delivered justice, and survivors began to believe in the system again,” she says.
Other government institutions soon followed her lead and Idil’s department has helped survivors find justice, comfort, and dignity—often for the first time in their lives.
“Wearing the uniform isn’t just a work, it’s a national duty carried on your shoulders,” Idil says.
Captain Fardowso Abdullahi Abdidon
Captain Fardowso Abdullahi Abdidon, 30, is one of Somalia’s most determined defenders. Born and raised in Mogadishu, she holds a law degree and began her career in the mayor’s office before shifting to a path that would change her life and many others.
“Policing isn’t just a career, it’s a calling to protect the most vulnerable,” she says.
In 2016 she joined the Somali Police Force where she underwent rigorous training, often alongside men, on remote training grounds and in harsh conditions. “It was tough,” she says, “but I promised myself I wouldn’t quit, and I didn’t.”
After graduating, she was assigned to the Stabilization Forces in Mogadishu a specialized police unit focused on neutralizing threats from Al-Shabaab and safeguarding the city’s most vital roads.
In 2019, Fardowso was appointed Deputy Commander of Waaberi District, then one of Mogadishu’s most violent areas. She initiated nightly operations, reducing crime and restoring public trust.
“In six months, not a single person was killed in the district. That was my proudest moment,” she says. “We turned fear into safety.”
Today, Fardowso heads Somalia’s National Unit for the Protection of Women and Children, taking on complex cases involving rape, domestic violence, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, and the growing tragedy of abandoned children.
Her mission is deeply personal. “I want to serve Somalia as Minister of Security one day,” she says with conviction. “Because safety is not just about weapons it’s about dignity, rights, and a future worth protecting.”
First Lieutenant Farhiyo Ahmed
First Lieutenant Farhiyo Ahmed, a mother of nine and a veteran police officer in Somalia's South West State, has spent nearly two decades building trust, pursuing justice, and protecting the vulnerable. Today, she leads the Gender Department in the Bay region, a role she fought to create and continues to expand with.
First Lieutenant Farhiyo Ahmed.
Photo: UNDP Somalia
First Lieutenant Farhiyo Ahmed.
Photo: UNDP Somalia
Farhiyo joined the Somali Police Force in 2006, becoming part of the very first batch of police officers trained after the civil war. The conditions were harsh. "We had to rebuild our own training classrooms. Out of over 600 recruits, only 10 of us were women," she recalls.
"I joined the police because of the alarming cases of violence against women and children. I couldn’t stand by any longer," she says. "I convinced nine other women to join me. We wanted to make it easier for survivors to come forward, especially in cases of rape, where victims often feel ashamed or fearful speaking to male officers."
Farhiyo was deployed to Baidoa Police Station where she was the only female officer. She worked tirelessly and in 2016, with support from international partners, she established the region’s first Gender Department.
The initiative quickly grew into a lifeline. Farhiyo and her team conducted regular outreach across Baidoa and its many displacement camps, raising awareness and distributing a hotline number for reporting domestic violence.
Today, Farhiyo leads a functioning department where cases are fewer, but the work remains vital. "We used to receive multiple rape reports every week. Now, we might see two a month. Family disputes are still common, but the overall situation has improved. The city is more peaceful."
“The formidable role of Somali women is advancing and transforming peace and security across the country. These women are challenging negative gender stereotypes and social norms. They are positive and confident architects of a safer, more equitable Somalia, providing inspiring leadership roles for young people.”— Lionel Laurens, Resident Representative, UNDP Somalia
About the initiative
The growing presence of women in Somali police is one of the achievements made possible through the Joint Police Programme-Phase I (2019-2024), funded by the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Building on this progress, UNDP launched the second phase in 2024 with support from the EU and UK. Additional support to the Somali police comes through the Stabilization Support Programme funded by Japan with the federal Ministry of Internal Security in 2024.
Read more about UNDP’s ongoing support: www.undp.org/somalia
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