Economic Empowerment

For the women of Somalia there is no fast-track to a life of glamour and luxury; rather, an escape from a life afflicted by violence, poverty and lawlessness is the best that can be imagined.

A country plagued by prolonged violence and a governmental vacuum has become a hotbed for piracy and warring factions. A new government has been unable to take form and control Somalia since the last one collapsed in 1991.

Piracy initially started off as a form of coastal protection undertaken by a handful of local seamen whose livelihoods were endangered by the dumping of toxic waste and trawlers illegally fishing in Somali waters.  A practice that began in self-defense has, however, spiraled into an immensely profitable piracy ‘business’. With news of treasure for the taking, many deprived young men hurried to engage in risky hijacking and hostage-taking. And these young men, confronted by violence throughout their short lives, have already come to see piracy as their only job prospect in a country that has scarce employment opportunities

If the outlook is grim for young, Somali men, then it is even bleaker for Somalia’s women. In Somalia, as in many other places, it is the women who are commonly at the end of the queue for the resources, especially in terms of wealth, education and security. This has led many families to resort to marrying off their young women to reduce household costs; sometimes this means getting the girl betrothed to a pirate.

Huda Guleed, 20, lives in Eyl, a town where pirates are predominant. She told Think Africa Press that the young Somali women she knows have the same dreams as anyone else, but that her country’s situation means many believe their dreams will never materialize. Her story is similar to countless other Somali girls - spurred on by her friends, Huda has been trying her hardest to snatch a pirate of her own. And she faces much fierce competition in what has rapidly become a battle to see who can land a pirate husband.

“We are always on the phone, either at our neighbors or at each other houses, trying to entice the men who are pirates to marry us,” says Huda.

“We try to seduce them with poetic words and wild promises, so that they fall in love with us.”

As they do not have much to offer in economic wealth, sexuality is one of few sources of power women have at their disposal. In return they are offered not only the promise of wealth but also huge selections of weaponry which would be made accessible to their tribes, not to mention the incentive-laden influence boost proffered by marrying into wealth.

But with the reckless whims of these men, there is no security for these women. Those that marry pirates could soon be easily sidelined for a younger, more desirable woman. And with the attention of countless young women focused on pirates, the men are spoilt for choice. This choice however means that the money ends up being spent on the pirate’s hedonistic lifestyle, including profligate use of drugs and an all-too-common overindulgence in alcohol. Ultimately, the families of the pirates are forgotten, the women that married them often stand powerless by.

“We always hear stories about how flashy these pirates are with the newly acquired money and power, driving around in the newest cars and building beautiful houses fit for a King,” says Huda.

“I know many boys that are eager to join because they also want to be in the same powerful position as these famous pirates.

“I can’t blame them, everyone wants to have money”.

With such wild stories about the pirates’ extravagant wealth, a new influx of young women have decided to go a step further and travel unaccompanied to search out towns where potential pirate husbands live.

This means leaving the relative safety of their home and families to face a dangerous journey to the unknown. As Huda explains, it is a journey that runs the risk of leaving the women exposed to sexual exploitation, and even tougher circumstances then the one they have left behind. This is when selling their bodies can becomes the trade of women simply in search of a better life than the one they have left behind. This encouragement of the sex trade business is one of the dire and under-appreciated consequences of the piracy business, and is tied in to a continuing HIV/AIDS epidemic.

There is a great need for wider recognition of how piracy impacts on Somali women. And without a greater appreciation and understanding of the gender implications of piracy, the plight of women affected by piracy is unlikely to be remediated. It is vital that the international community comprehends that the exploitation carried out by foreign fishing ships has shaped the already enfeebled livelihoods of people affected by protracted statelessness.

It further needs to be recognized that without prospects for women, the aspiration of capturing a pirate husband will remain in place, and with it the chance of increasing sexual exploitation. While many of the problems associated with piracy will be tough to address without drastic improvements to the wider Somali state, women must be included and given a voice in policy-based attempts to address piracy.