The Prime Minister of Federal Government of Somalia His Excellency Omar Abdirashid announced the appointment of Ms. Mariam Yassin Hagi Yussuf as the Special Envoy on Children’s and Migrants Rights on 20th August 2015. The press conference called in his office to announce Ms. Yassin’s appointment was attended by the Minister for Justice, the Deputy Minister for Defense, the Minister and Deputy Minister of Health, the Minister for Women/Human Rights Development and a number of MPs. Also in attendance were the staff members from the Prime Minister’s office and Child and Migrants’ Rights Experts from the East Africa region whom Ms. Yassin had worked with before taking up her new position as the Envoy for Protection of Children and Somali Migrants’ Rights.
The Prime Minister explained the rationale behind the new position of the Special Envoy on Children’s and Somali Migrants rights as necessary since the two categories of Somali citizens are currently some of the most vulnerable. He pointed out that the children within the country and those in the refugee camps outside are greatly disadvantaged. Similarly, he stressed that the many Somali youth are dying in the Mediterranean Sea should be studied and a homegrown Somali solution found to ensure that they remain in the country to help realize the dreams that the founding fathers fought for.
The Prime Minister expressed the hope that now that Ms. Mariam Yassin has been appointed for the new post, all the countries involved in the Tahrib (both transit and destinations) and the line Ministries will be able to coordinate and collaborate efficiently through her to ensure that the issue is arrested for the betterment of the youth of Somalia. He challenged Ms. Mariam Yassin to inject the immense experience and the skills she has acquired in her career as a Child Protection and migration/refugee activist in Europe and Somalia to help develop and implement strategies help solve the problems currently bedeviling the two vulnerable groups in Somalia. Finally, he expressed confidence that Marian was up to the task.
In her acceptance speech, Ms. Mariam Yassin thanked the Prime Minister for the great honor bestowed on her and confessed that even though the responsibilities that come with the position are enormous, she would do her level best to ensure that the rights of Somali children and emigrants are secured. She promised to approach her task professionally and asked for support from the relevant line Ministries and departments of the Federal Government of Somalia, for as she pointed out that success can only be assured if the issues are approached as a team, and not as lone rangers.
While congratulating Ms. Mariam Yassin, the deputy Prime Minister Mr. Mohamed Omar Arte reiterated that the position of the special envoy was urgently needed because the suffering Somali children and youth need urgent, deliberate and undivided attention since Tahrib has affected most families in Somalia hence the need to understand why the youth undertake such dangerous trip. He noted that since Ms. Mariam Yassin is a mother, she is in a position to understand the pain ordinary mothers and children in Somalia go through on a daily basis. The other ministers and MPs in the meeting congratulated Ms. Yassin and promised to give her the necessary support to ensure that the two groups are given the service they urgently and desperately need.