TERMS OF REFERENCE (ToR) Legal Empowerment and Internship Programme for Women in Puntland

Ministry of Justice, Constitution, Religious Affairs, and Rehabilitation

  1. Background and Rationale

Women remain significantly underrepresented within Somalia’s formal and informal justice systems, particularly in decision-making and leadership positions. While progress has been made in increasing the number of female law graduates and early-career legal professionals, barriers to entry, retention, and career advancement persist.
The Legal Empowerment and Internship Programme for Women in Somalia seeks to address these gaps by creating structured entry pathways for young women into justice sector institutions. The programme aims to strengthen institutional capacity while supporting women’s professional growth, leadership development, and
long-term career progression.
The initiative aligns with Puntland’s Justice Sector Strategy and is implemented under the Joint Justice and Corrections Programme (JJCP), contributing to a more inclusive, accountable, and people-centered justice system.

  1. Objectives of the Assessment

The programme aims to:

  • Increase women’s representation within Somalia’s justice sector institutions;
  • Prepare participants for professional roles as judicial officials, including judges, prosecutors, legal and policy drafters, lawyers, and public notary officers;
  • Strengthen participants’ legal, ethical, analytical, and drafting skills through structured on-the-job
    training;
  • Build leadership capacity and professional confidence to support long-term career progression;
  • Support justice institutions through enhanced legal research, drafting, case management, and policy
    support functions;
  • Facilitate sustainable employment pathways for successful participants.
  1. Roles and Responsibilities

During the internship period, interns shall undertake the following responsibilities under the guidance and supervision of designated legal professionals:

  • Assist in conducting legal research and analysis on statutory, regulatory, and policy issues;
  • Support the preparation of legal opinions, memoranda, submissions, briefs, and policy documents;
  • Participate in court proceedings, legal consultations, institutional meetings, and stakeholder engagements, where appropriate;
  • Contribute to the preparation of institutional reports, case documentation, meeting records, and other official documents;
  • Assist in case management, legal documentation, and records management in accordance with institutional procedures;
  • Perform other legal and administrative duties assigned by the supervising officer that are consistent with the objectives of the internship programme.
  1. Professional Development and Mentorship

Each intern shall be assigned a qualified mentor within the host institution who will provide structured guidance and support throughout the internship. The mentor shall be responsible for:

  • Providing technical guidance on legal practice and institutional procedures;
  • Supervising the intern’s daily assignments and monitoring progress;
  • Offering professional coaching, career development advice, and performance feedback;
  • Facilitating exposure to practical legal work and institutional best practices.

To enhance professional competence, interns shall also participate in a structured professional development programme, including:

  • Workshops on legal ethics, integrity, leadership, and professional responsibility;
  • Training on people-centered justice, access to justice, and human rights-based approaches;
  • Skills development sessions on legal drafting, analytical writing, communication, negotiation, and advocacy;
  • Capacity-building sessions on institutional effectiveness, teamwork, and public service professionalism;
  • Learning events, seminars, and peer exchange sessions with justice sector practitioners and development partners, where available.
  1. Hosting Institutions

There will be two hosting institutions Ministry of Justice Headquarter in Garowe and Bari regional court at Bosaso. Each hosting institute will support two interns ( 2 in Garowe and 2 in Bosaso)

  1. Skills and Qualifications

Applicants must:

  • Be Somali nationals;
  • Hold at minimum a bachelor’s degree in law (LLB);
  • Be recent graduates (within the last three years) or early-career legal professionals;
  • Demonstrate proficiency in Somali and English;
  • Show commitment to public service and justice reform.
  • The internship is open exclusively to women. Special consideration shall be given to qualified applicants from underrepresented regions, minority communities, and people with disabilities.

How to apply
Applicants shall submit to the Puntland Ministry of Justice offices in Garowe and Bosaso on or before 15th May 2026

  • Curriculum Vitae (CV);
  • Cover Letter;
  • A motivation letter (maximum 500 words) outlining preferred placement and career aspirations.
  • Applications must be submitted in accordance with published instructions and deadlines