On Saturday, 2 May 2026, an International Labor Day event was held in Mogadishu, organized by the Somali Disability Network (SDN), a coalition of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs).
The event brought together over 30 participants, including persons with disabilities (PWDs), civil society organizations (CSOs), government representatives, members of the Banadir Regional Administration, and stakeholders from the private and education sectors.
The program opened with a recitation of the Holy Quran by Sh. Adan Hassan Ali, a member of the PWD community with physical disabilities, followed by introductions among participants.
Mr. Abdullahi Hassan, Chairperson of SDN, delivered welcoming remarks and highlighted that SDN is a coalition of 15 member organizations established in November 2019, working to advance disability inclusion, policies, and legislation in Somalia.
The event was officially inaugurated by Mrs. Fartun Abdirahman Ali, Secretary of the National Disability Agency (NDA), on behalf of the Chairperson of the NDA Commission, Mr. Mohamed Abdull Jama.
Key speakers addressed important issues related to the labor market, including barriers faced by persons with disabilities, the existing skills gap, the need for investment, and the implementation of the National Disability Act and employment quota systems.
Participants discussed the exclusion of persons with disabilities particularly those with visual, hearing, and physical impairments from national employment opportunities based solely on their disabilities, which was recognized as discriminatory and not in line with legal standards.
The event concluded with a strong call to action for stakeholders to ensure meaningful participation of OPDs in decision-making processes, remove barriers in the labor market, promote equal opportunities, invest in skills development through TVET programs, and support economic empowerment initiatives for persons with disabilities in Somalia.
