The gender bill, a bitter taste for Somalia

Somalia ranks amongst the ten poorest countries in the world. With a population of around 12.3 million it is estimated that 43 per cent of the population live in extreme poverty (less than 1 US dollar a day) and over half of the labor force are unemployed. The main source of livelihood is livestock management. The main livelihood groups are urban (42 per cent), rural (23 per cent), nomadic (26 per cent) and IDPs (9 per cent). Somalia’s gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of US $284 is the fifth lowest in the world. Remittances are estimated to account for 35 per cent of GDP.

Out of a population of 12.3 million, about 4.7 million people are dependent on humanitarian aid and livelihood assistance. (4.7). More than 300,000 children under the age of five are acutely malnourished, and 1.7 million children are out of school. The country is prone to drought and flooding and suffered a famine in the South in 2011 in which 258,000 people died – half of them under 5. There are 1.1 million people internally displaced with insecurity the major cause of displacement (86.2 per cent), followed by drought (7.8) and lack of livelihood opportunities and 1 million refugees in neighboring countries. Somali is termed a failed state, worst country to be a mother, most dangerous places on earth.