Miss Somalia: Beauty Contest in a Challenging Locale
On Sunday night, while many Somalis watched the Euro football final, hundreds gathered at Mogadishu’s Elite Hotel for the Miss Somalia competition. Nearby, a car bomb exploded, killing five and injuring about 20, highlighting Somalia’s stark contrasts.
Despite the dangers, Hani Abdi Gas founded Miss Somalia in 2021 to empower women in a conservative society. Growing up in Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camp, Gas returned to Somalia in 2020 with a vision to celebrate Somali women’s aspirations and culture.
This year’s pageant included diverse contestants, such as a policewoman. However, it faced criticism for being contrary to Somali culture and Islam. Clan leader Ahmed Abdi Halane and student Sabrina expressed disapproval, citing cultural and religious reasons.
Contestants wore vibrant gowns, contrasting with traditional Somali attire. Aisha Ikow, a 24-year-old university student and makeup artist, was crowned Miss Somalia, winning a $1,000 prize. Ikow aims to combat early marriage and promote girls’ education.
Judges, including founder Gas and the 2022 Miss Somalia, evaluated contestants on beauty, catwalk presence, attire, and public speaking. An online vote raised funds for the event and international pageant participation.
The event starkly contrasts with the lives of many Somalis, especially women. Four million are displaced, with the UN estimating 70-80% are women. Somalia ranks last on the United Nations Human Development Index and fourth from the bottom on the Gender Inequality Index. Aid groups report that 52% of Somali women have experienced gender-based violence, and 98% have undergone female genital mutilation.
Traditionally, rapists faced marriage as “punishment,” and attitudes towards rape remain unchanged. In 2013, a woman was jailed for reporting her rape by security forces. In Somaliland, religious leaders overturned a 2018 sexual offenses law, leaving women unprotected from various abuses.
Holding Miss Somalia in Mogadishu, despite nearby violence, signifies changing attitudes and improved security. Such an event would have been unthinkable when al-Shabab controlled the capital. The audience at Elite Hotel stayed until early morning, undisturbed by the waves masking the nearby attack.
Re-reported from the article originally published in BBC.
