Duchess Sophie Visits Victims of Sexual Violence in Somalia

Duchess Sophie with her arms around Somalian women — (Image credit: AP)

Duchess Sophie has worked tirelessly to support survivors of sexual violence in conflict zones, and on February 24, Buckingham Palace announced that she’s visited Somalia for the first time. Earlier this week, the Duchess of Edinburgh completed a two-day visit to the African country at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office before heading to Kenya to recognize the role women play in preventing and resolving conflicts.

Somalia has been dealing with political tensions amid the government's offensive against the armed extremist group Al-Shabaab. The group has imposed harsh restrictions on women and girls in areas it controls, and many have faced forced marriages and sexual violence as part of the ongoing conflict in Somalia.

During her visit, the Duchess of Edinburgh met with Somalia’s president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and joined his daughter Jihan Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to meet survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. She also visited a hospital in Mogadishu to learn more about a sexual and reproductive health program supported by the U.K. that’s now operating in 39 facilities across Somalia.

Duchess Sophie sitting in a chair wearing a blue dress and scarf with Somalian women — Duchess Sophie met with local women during her visit to Somalia.

Per Buckingham Palace, the duchess—who champions the UN's Women, Peace and Security Agenda— “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.”

The country has been facing a severe drought which has only increased the difficulty for women in Somalia to access vital services. Duchess Sophie learned more about how area organizations work against these conditions to help women facing sexual and gender-based violence.

She also visited a village to meet the wives of Somali fighters, speaking to the women about the challenges they face while their husbands are fighting to secure the country.

On February 25, Sophie headed to Kenya, kicking off her visit by meeting with President William Rutton at State House in Nairobi. Afterwards,she met artisans working at Kazuri Beads, which provides local women with employment opportunities to help achieve economic independence.

Duchess Sophie wearing a long shirt dress sitting in a chair — The Duchess of Edinburgh is pictured at State House in Nairobi, Kenya on February 25.

Duchess Sophie standing at a table while a woman makes beaded jewelry — Duchess Sophie visits Kazuri Beads in Nairobi, Kenya on February 25.

Her trip comes a week after her brother-in-law, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The former Duke of York’s association with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has raised numerous questions about what the Royal Family, in particular Queen Elizabeth, knew in regards to his misconduct.

Sophie’s husband, Prince Edward, was the first member of the family to publicly address his brother’s scandal when he was asked about it during a conference in the Middle East. "Well, with the best will in the world, I'm not sure this is the audience that is the least bit interested in that," he stated, noting, "I think it's all really important, always, to remember the victims and who are the victims in all this."

For Duchess Sophie, it seems the best course of action is to continue doing what she does best—fighting for women’s rights behind the scenes.

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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.