SOFWU are geared towards empowering and supporting the individuals working in this sector, ensuring their voices are heard, and promoting a more prosperous
SOCOTU Youth Committee Statement on International Youth Day 2025.
Theme: “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond”
Date: 12 August 2025
On this International Youth Day 2025, the Somali Congress of Trade Unions (SOCOTU) Youth Committee celebrates the transformative power, resilience, and creativity of youth. This year’s theme, “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond”, reflects our shared conviction that empowering young people is key to achieving sustainable development, inclusive growth, and social justice in Somalia and across the African continent.
SOCOTU stands in solidarity with the Organization of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU) and supports its call to recognise youth as active agents of change not passive beneficiaries within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework.
Youth as Agents of Change
In Somalia, as across Africa, young people are driving change in their communities whether through rural cooperatives advancing decent work and economic growth (SDG 😎, or urban campaigns tackling climate action (SDG 13). They are not waiting for opportunities; they are creating them.
SOCOTU celebrates the Somali youth who are:
• Embracing innovation and technology to organise, mobilise, and advocate for workers’ rights.
• Championing gender justice, environmental protection, and social equity in workplaces and communities.
• Building inclusive networks and platforms to address local needs while aligning with broader SDG priorities.
Challenges Facing Young Workers
Despite these inspiring contributions, Somali youth face persistent barriers:
• High unemployment rates, particularly among young women, which limit economic independence and social participation.
• Limited access to resources and skills development, restricting their ability to compete in an evolving labour market.
• Weak institutional support for youth-led initiatives and inadequate recognition of young people’s leadership capacity.
SOCOTU’s Commitment
SOCOTU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to:
• Advocating for decent jobs, fair wages, and safe working conditions for young workers.
• Promoting continuous learning, including technical skills, digital literacy, and soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and emotional intelligence.
• Strengthening youth organising within trade unions to ensure young voices shape policies and negotiations.
• Supporting mental and physical well-being as a foundation for productive and fulfilling work.
We echo OATUU’s message: organising young workers is not optional it is essential. Trade unions must remain a home for youth voices, offering platforms for collective bargaining, mentorship, and career development.
Continental Solidarity and Upcoming Opportunities
SOCOTU looks forward to actively participating in OATUU’s upcoming African Youth Trade Union Forum, which will bring together young trade union leaders and activists from across the continent. This gathering will strengthen youth leadership, share innovative strategies, and develop collective action plans aligned with the SDGs and the Decent Work Agenda.
Call to Action
On this International Youth Day, SOCOTU calls upon:
• Government to invest in youth empowerment through education, skills training, and job creation.
• Employers to provide decent work opportunities and respect workers’ rights.
• Civil society to partner with youth in building sustainable, inclusive communities.
To the youth of Somalia: you are the architects of change. Your energy, creativity, and determination can transform our nation. Stay united, stay focused, and let us work together for a Somalia where every young person can thrive, contribute, and lead.
Conclusion
The future of Somalia lies in the hands of its youth. With unity, perseverance, and solidarity, we can build a labour market that is inclusive, equitable, and sustainable ensuring that no young person is left behind.
Happy International Youth Day 2025!
SOCOTU Welcomes ILO Credentials Committee’s “Stand for Justice”
The Somali Congress of Trade Unions (SOCOTU) today held a press conference in Mogadishu, hailing what it described as a “clear stand for justice” by the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Credentials Committee regarding Somalia’s worker representation.
SOCOTU President Mohamed Haji praised the Committee’s decision, delivered on 12 June 2025 during the 113th International Labour Conference, as a landmark acknowledgment of the need for transparency, inclusivity, and fairness in selecting Somalia’s Workers’ delegate to the ILO.
“This is a victory for the principle that Somali workers are not invisible,” Haji said. “The ILO has made it clear that our government must consult all representative organizations not just one and base decisions on objective, verifiable criteria. That is justice.”
The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, in its response to the Credentials Committee, admitted it had consulted only one organization it deemed most representative, but provided no documentary proof of that claim or evidence of broader consultations.
The Committee concluded it could not confirm compliance with Article 3(5) of the ILO Constitution, urging the Ministry to ensure that, where more than one representative workers’ organization exists, future nominations be made in agreement with all and based on documented, objective criteria.
At the press conference, SOCOTU announced plans to expand its “Visibility and Justice” campaign, aimed at securing inclusive consultations, strengthening labor rights, and building alliances with unions across Africa.
“The Committee’s decision is a reminder that representation is a right, not a privilege,” Haji declared. “We will continue to demand it in Geneva, in Mogadishu, and everywhere Somali workers’ voices must be heard.
📢 Statement from SOCOTU
The Somali Congress of Trade Unions (SOCOTU) welcomes President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s call for a National Consultative Conference to unite all Somalis in shaping the country’s future.
We stand in full support of collective efforts to eliminate terrorism and bring lasting peace, stability, and development to Somalia. Somali workers are ready to play their part in rebuilding our nation.
Unity is strength! Together, we will succeed. 🇸🇴✊@HassanSMohamud@SomaliPM@UNSomalia@US2SOMALIA@TC_MogadisuBE@UKinSomalia@tikasomalia@ILOACTRAV@ItalyinSomalia@luc_triangle@AddisIlo@mohosmanhaji
#Somalia #Unity #Peace #SOCOTU #TogetherWeSucceed
Soo Dhaweyn Heesta Ururka Shaqaalaha SOCOTU.
Ku soo dhowaada, shaqaalaha sharafta leh, dhageysiga heesta rasmiga ah ee Ururka Shaqaalaha Soomaaliyeed (SOCOTU).
Heestani waa astaanta midnimada, dadaalka iyo horumarka shaqaalaha Soomaaliyeed. Waxay xambaarsan tahay farriin dhiirri-gelin ah oo ku saabsan xuquuqda shaqaalaha, wadajirka, iyo horumarinta dalka.
Aan si wadajir ah ugu dhageysanno heestan, oo aan kor u qaadno codka shaqaalaha Soomaaliyeed.
SOCOTU ha waarto.
Welcome to the Anthem of the Somali Workers’ Union (SOCOTU)
Welcome, esteemed workers, to the official anthem of the Somali Workers’ Union (SOCOTU).
This anthem represents the unity, dedication, and progress of Somali workers. It carries a message of encouragement, emphasizing workers’ rights, solidarity, and the development of our nation.
Let us listen to this anthem together and raise the voice of Somali workers.
Long live SOCOTU.
#SOCOTU
#workersunion
#TradeUnions
Kuwaani waa dhallinyaro badda ku lumay haddase laga helay Jazirada Maldives, waxaase la yaab leh wax diiwaan gelin lagu sheegay oo aan lahayn wax tixraac ah oo lagu aqoonsan karo.
As SOFWU leaders, we are delighted to share the great news that our missing members have been found safe in Singapore.
1Sharma Arke Nor Abdi
2Ibrahim Mohamud Ali Gees
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to their safe return.
We urge Somali communities, labor unions, and ITF to help locate 4 missing vessels and 10 crew lost at sea for 4 months. Reports indicate 1 vessel and 2 crew were rescued by a Singaporean ship. Support is urgently needed!
Waxaan weli war iyo wacaal loo heynin laba Doon oo yaryar ah oo ay wateen middiiba 3 dhallinyaro Kalluumaysato ah waxa ka kala bexeen marsooyinka Curuba iyo Liido.
20.11.2024 waxaa baxay Doonta Liido ka baxday, tan Curuba ka baxdayna waxay baxday 21.11.2024