The National Civil Service Commission (NCSC) and Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU) have concluded a three-day national training programme, marking the launch of a national initiative to strengthen respectful, safe and professional workplaces across Somalia’s public service. The training, titled “Building Respectful, Safe and Professional Workplaces for Public Sector Workers”, was organised by NCSC in partnership with FESTU, with support from the Ministry of Finance through the World Bank-funded Recurrent Cost and Reform Financing (RCRF) programme. As the first activity under the initiative, it lays the foundation for a series of nationwide interventions aimed at strengthening safe and respectful workplace culture, institutional capacity and professional standards throughout the public sector.
The training programme was developed in response to key recommendations from the recent Workplace Assessment conducted across Federal Government institutions. The assessment identified the need to strengthen awareness of workplace ethics and professional conduct, improve confidence in grievance and reporting mechanisms and build institutional capacity to prevent and respond to workplace misconduct. It also underscored the importance of strengthening leadership accountability, reinforcing institutional systems and fostering a workplace culture founded on dignity, respect and accountability. This training represents an important first step in implementing those recommendations and advancing workplace reforms across Somalia’s public service.
The initiative supports Somalia’s efforts to implement international standards and promote a healthy work environment, particularly the provisions of Somalia’s newly revised Labour Code relating to violence and harassment. It promotes every worker’s right to a world of work free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment, while contributing to better governance, stronger public institutions and improved public service delivery.
Officially opening the programme, Amina Hussein Ali, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, underscored the Federal Government’s determination to ensure that all public sector workers enjoy a safe, respectful and professional working environment where dignity, equality and non-discrimination are upheld. She said eliminating violence and harassment in the workplace is essential to building an effective public administration and delivering quality services to the Somali people. The deputy minister emphasised that protecting women workers from violence, harassment and all forms of abuse remains a government priority and called for continued efforts to foster workplaces where everyone can work with dignity, safety and respect.
