Hir-Shabelle State of Somalia Civil Society Representatives had a constitutional review process discussion meeting in Jowhar organized by Somalia South Central Non State Actors (SOSCENSA0). The meeting was attended by members of Hir-Shabelle CSO including Religious Leaders, Traditional Elders, Women Groups, Youth Organizations, CSO key Members, media and representatives from Universities.
The objectives of the meeting included:
1. CSO discussions on Somali’s Constitutional Review Process.
2. To consult among CSO organization members to promote and make sure the role of civil society organizations in constitutional review process of Somalia and discuss the challenges faced them to participate in the process.
3. To discuss the best ways to speed up the Constitutional Review Process.
The participants from the CSO Members had a hot discussions and information sharing about the current Constitutional Review Process, the role of CSO and the challenges they face and also discussions on the best practices to speed up the review process, produced the following suggestions:-
1. The provisional Federal Constitution Review Process of Somalia should be in the hands of Somali People and the international community should not interfere the process
2. The federal government and the member states should have a commitment for finalizing the constitutional review process at end of 2018
3. The federal government and federal member States should give a crucial role to the civil society members towards the constitutional review process
4. The Constitutional Review Process Road Map should not be launched unless review and consulted with the CSO members
5. The Constitutional Review Process should be based on the Islamic Law
6. Legal Experts with background Knowledge of Islamic Sharia should be included in the Constitutional Review Process
7. To hold a wide-ranging awareness on the constitutional review process for the Somali Public in the regions and villages and CSO should implement that awareness
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