Sophie visits Somalia to highlight threat of conflict-related sexual violence

The Duchess of Edinburgh has carried out a visit to war-torn Somalia to highlight the ongoing issue of conflict-related sexual violence in the region.

Sophie travelled to a Somali village in Lower Shabelle to meet the wives of Somali soldiers who told her of the dangers they face from the Al-Shabaab terror group while their husbands are fighting to stabilise the country.

The official trip, which took place at the request of the Foreign Office, was not announced in advance for security reasons, with UK citizens currently advised to avoid all travel to the areas Sophie visited due to the threat from terrorist groups and continuing violence.

The duchess headed to the capital Mogadishu during her two-day stay which ended on Tuesday.

She met President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and was joined afterwards by first daughter Jihan Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to meet survivors of conflict-related sexual violence perpetrated by Al-Shabaab militants.

At a hospital in central Mogadishu, the duchess met survivors who spoke about the impact of female genital mutilation, rape and sexual assault on Somali women, and the importance of being able to access vital services.

Sophie heard about the impact of a UK-supported sexual and reproductive health service programme operating across 39 health facilities in the country.

The duchess, a champion of the UN’s Women, Peace and Security Agenda, has focused her charity work on raising awareness of the devastation of conflict-related sexual violence.

Her trip focused on the “crucial role women play in peacebuilding, strengthening community resilience and supporting survivors of sexual and gender-based violence”, Buckingham Palace said.

Somalia has faced more than 30 years of conflicts including an Islamist insurgency and a civil war.

The duchess went on to travel to Kenya on Tuesday, for a two-day visit to celebrate Kenyan women-leaders and recognise the role women play in preventing and resolving conflicts.

The overseas tour comes amid a turbulent time for the royal family in the wake of the arrest of Sophie’s brother-in-law Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Ministers have agreed to release files related to the appointment of Andrew to his previous trade envoy role, as the ex-prince was described in the House of Commons as “a rude, arrogant and entitled man”.

Andrew faces accusations of sharing sensitive information with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein while acting as a special representative for trade and investment between 2001 and 2011.