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agreement with the FRUD in 1994, which set the stage for the inclusion of FRUD members in senior government posts. In June 1995, the Government named to a newly reshuffled Cabinet two FRUD faction leaders who signed the peace accord. No Afars have been named to the Cabinet since that time. The FRUD was registered as a political party this year but has not held a party congress. The Government recognizes only one of two FRUD factions. The two leaders who signed the peace accord are members of the recognized faction; the unrecognized faction includes members who refused to accept the terms of the accord. Although legally entitled to participate in the political process, women are largely excluded from senior positions in government and in the political parties. There are no women in the Cabinet or in Parliament. The highest ranking woman in the country is Mrs. Khadija Abebe, President of the Court of Appeals. At least three other women serve as judges, and one is a director in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Section 4 Governmental Attitude Regarding International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Violations of Human Rights The Government has been hostile to the formation of local human rights groups. In 1993 the Government imprisoned Mohamed Houmed Souleh, the leader of the Association for the Defense of Human Rights and Liberties (ADDHL), after he criticized military abuses in the civil conflict. He was arrested and released several times thereafter. In 1996 Souleh and the ADDHL stopped publicly criticizing the Government, which continued to deny the ADDHL recognition. No other known human rights groups exist, and, except for the ICRC, no international human rights groups are known to have visited the country during the year (see Section 1.c.). Section 5 Discrimination Based on Race, Sex, Religion, Disability, Language, or Social Status While the Constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of language, race, sex or religion, discrimination against women and ethnic minorities is widespread. In particular, the enforcement of laws to protect women and children is weak. Women Violence against women exists but reported cases are few. The Government has been concerned about the problem of rape and included in the 1994 Penal Code, which entered into force in April 1995, stiff sentences for rapists, ranging up to 20 years in prison. However, there have as yet been no cases tried under the code. When violence against women occurs, it normally is dealt with within the family or clan structure rather than in the courts. The police rarely interfere in domestic violence cases, and the media report only the most extreme cases, such as murder. Women legally possess full civil rights, but in practice, due to traditional societal discrimination in education and custom, they play a secondary role in public life and do not have the same employment opportunities as men. There are only a few women in the professions, and women are largely confined to wage employment in small trade, clerical, and secretarial fields. Customary law discriminates against women in such areas as inheritance, divorce, property ownership, and travel (see Section 2.d.). As the French-inspired legal code does not sanction such discrimination, educated women increasingly seek to defend their interests through the regular courts. Children The Government devotes virtually no public resources to the advancement of children’s rights and welfare. A few charitable organizations work with children. According to an independent expert, as many as 98 percent of females 7 years or older have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM), which is widely condemned by international health experts as damaging to both physical and psychological health. In Djibouti FGM is generally performed on girls between the ages of 7 and 10. In 1988 the Djiboutian National Women’s Union began an educational campaign against FGM, particularly infibulation, the most extensive and dangerous form of sexual mutilation practiced on women and girls. The campaign has had only marginal impact on the prevalence of this custom, which is pervasive in rural areas. Judicial reforms enacted in 1991 stipulate that anyone found guilty of genital mutilation of young girls may face a heavy fine and 5 years in prison. However, the Government has not convicted anyone under this statute or under the provisions of the Penal Code, which specifically prohibits FGM. The Government has not specifically addressed other forms of child abuse, which are often lightly punished. For example, when a child is raped or otherwise abused, the perpetrator is usually fined an amount sufficient to cover medical care for the injured child. The Government has yet to use provisions of the Penal Code to deal with domestic violence and child abuse more severely. People with Disabilities The Government does not mandate accessibility to buildings or government services for people with disabilities. Although disabled persons have access to education and public health facilities, there is no specific legislation that addresses their needs, and there are no laws or regulations that prevent job discrimination against disabled people. The disabled have difficulty finding employment in an economy where approximately 60 percent of the able-bodied male adult population is underemployed or jobless. National/Racial/Ethnic Minorities The Government continued to discriminate against citizens on the basis of ethnicity in terms of employment and job advancement. The Issa, the dominant Somali clan, control the ruling party, the civil and security services, and the military services. The President’s subclan, the Mamassan, wields disproportionate power in affairs of state. Section 6 Worker Rights a. The Right of Association Under the Constitution, workers are free to join unions and to strike provided that they comply with legally prescribed requirements. In the small wage economy, about 70 percent of