In a country that has waited more than half a century for modern workplace protections, a union-led, United Nations-backed push is taking the new law from paper to factory floors, markets and offices across Somalia. The Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU) has launched a nationwide labour rights education drive to help workers understand, reclaim and defend their rights under Somalia’s newly adopted Labour Code — the first comprehensive reform in 52 years.
The Labour Code emerged from sustained social dialogue among the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MOLSA), the Somali Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and FESTU, with technical and financial support from the International Labour Organization. Agreed by the tripartite partners, the text advanced through the Council of Ministers and both houses of the Federal Parliament before receiving presidential assent.
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For FESTU and its 12 affiliated national unions, the law crowns more than a decade of organizing to align Somalia’s world of work with international labour standards and the nation’s human rights obligations. “For 52 years, Somalia’s working women and men were governed by an outdated and unjust legal framework that no longer reflected the realities of modern workplaces and that was inconsistent with the Constitution of Somalia and Somalia’s international human rights obligations, including global labour standards,” said Omar Faruk Osman, General Secretary of FESTU. “It is on this basis that our persistent efforts delivered this new Labour Code. But any law is only meaningful when the people concerned, predominantly the workers, understand the rights enshrined in it, claim their rights and stand ready to defend them. This law confirms that dignity at work, protection from exploitation and freedom from harassment are fundamental human rights.”
Between October and December 2025, FESTU rolled out the Labour Rights Education Programme with support from the United Nations Transitional Mission in Somalia and UNICEF under the Joint Programme on Human Rights Phase II. The effort aimed to build workers’ capacity to demand and defend rights in Mogadishu and all Federal Member States, using union structures to ensure reach and staying power.
The campaign opened with a national launch and workshop in Mogadishu attended by UN officials, trade union leaders and representatives of the Federal Government of Somalia. Subsequent sessions moved to Baidoa in South West State; Dhusamareb in Galmudug State; and Beledweyne in Hirshabelle State, drawing workers from diverse sectors to learn about the new legal framework governing employment relationships, pay, safety and the right to organize.
A specialized workshop in Mogadishu focused on women and young workers, underscoring how the law protects against exploitation while enabling decent work. For the first time, FESTU also convened dedicated training for workers with disabilities, tailored to their rights to inclusion and equal treatment at every stage of employment.
The reach and representation were notable:
- 218 workers trained nationwide, including 98 women and 120 men.
- 152 youth participants and 66 older workers.
- 53 workers with disabilities took part — 22 women and 31 men.
To sustain the effort, at least two participants from each session were chosen as peer educators, seeding a grassroots network to continue rights awareness through FESTU’s affiliates in workplaces and communities across the country.
Printed and broadcast outreach reinforced the classroom work. FESTU produced and distributed more than 3,200 Information, Education and Communication materials in Maxaa Tiri and Maay — two widely used Somali dialects — explaining workers’ rights and obligations under the Labour Code, and the responsibilities of employers and government to uphold the law. The union also commissioned 12 radio and television spots for nationwide broadcast. Digital messaging on Facebook and X drew 206,227 engagements in October and November 2025, with 13,011 reactions and an estimated combined reach of more than 2.3 million people across platforms and airwaves.
Equality and protection ran through the curriculum. Women accounted for 45% of participants. The women and youth workshop addressed sexual violence and harassment prevention, reporting pathways and legal safeguards in the new code, echoing the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190) of the ILO, which Somalia has ratified and domesticated. The disability-focused sessions emphasized non-discrimination, reasonable accommodation, occupational safety and health, and access to complaint mechanisms.
Alongside public education, FESTU’s leadership pressed for government enforcement. Union representatives engaged MOLSA and the Office of the Prime Minister to prioritize implementation of Labour Code provisions on sexual and gender-based violence in the workplace, with special attention to protections for women workers. According to FESTU, government counterparts committed to strengthening enforcement in line with the amended law.
“Through education, organisation and solidarity, we are turning this new law into a living instrument that protects rights at work, including protection against exploitation, ensuring fair wages, guaranteeing safety and promoting equality,” Omar said. “Labour rights are human rights and they must be respected in practice. A law adopted by the Federal Parliament of Somalia must translate into protection in every workplace.”
The campaign lands as Somalia prepares for the Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council, where progress on labour protections will be part of the record. FESTU has framed the initiative as a pillar of the country’s commitments under Sustainable Development Goal 8 (decent work and economic growth) and Goal 10 (reduced inequalities), and as a practical path to improve livelihoods amid a fragile economy and protracted insecurity.
For workers who have long navigated unregulated employment, the message is both legal and cultural: rights are enforceable, and dignity at work is non-negotiable. By training peer educators, issuing plain-language materials in local dialects, and broadcasting to millions, the union movement and its UN partners are building a common understanding of what the law promises and how to claim it.
FESTU praised the UN Human Rights and Protection Group and the OHCHR Representative for their support, calling the drive a decisive step toward making the Labour Code real in Mogadishu and the Federal Member States. The union emphasized that open communication between workers, employers and the state is essential to fair and stable labour relations — the cornerstone of a labour market where fundamental rights are respected.
If the measure of reform is felt in pay stubs, safety briefings and grievance redress rather than statute books, Somalia’s education push is designed to close the gap. As the peer educators fan out to workplaces and community halls, the promise of a new legal era will depend on a simple chain: informed workers, responsive institutions and consistent enforcement. The scaffolding is in place; now the work begins.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
