The UN’s Universal Periodic Review and FGM in Somalia: The Value of Civil Society Recommendations

Female genital mutilation (‘FGM’) is a violation of international human rights law and a public health concern. The Federal Republic of Somalia (‘Somalia’) has the highest prevalence of FGM across the world, with an estimated 97-99% of women and girls having undergone FGM. Worldwide, various strategies are being implemented seeking to eliminate FGM, including criminalisation, further education, and involvement of civil society organisations (CSOs). The role of CSOs, through the UN’s Universal Periodic Review (‘UPR’) mechanism, is the key focus of this article. Somalia's three UPR cycles to date are analysed, identifying (1) how frequently do Member States and CSOs recommend on similar themes? and (2) are CSOs’ and/or Member States’ recommendations on FGM sufficiently formulated to aid implementation by Somalia? Following this analysis, I argue that CSO recommendations do hold some value for Member States, but to achieve success in the context of eradicating FGM in Somalia, improvements must be made by both CSOs submitting stakeholder reports with recommendations included, and Member States making recommendations within the UPR. Specific proposals are made, which could be utilised by CSOs and Member States when preparing for Somalia’s fourth cycle review scheduled for 2026.