Mogadishu, Somalia – The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has launched a special registration drive for students with disabilities at Al-Basiir School for the Blind, reinforcing its commitment to building an inclusive National ID system that ensures every Somali citizen is recognized and counted.
The initiative marks a significant step toward integrating persons with disabilities—particularly those with visual impairments—into Somalia’s national identification framework. Officials from NIRA emphasized that the campaign aligns with the government’s broader goal of ensuring equitable access to essential public services for all citizens, regardless of their physical or sensory limitations.
At the launch event, NIRA representatives conducted biometric registration for students and staff, demonstrating how technology can be adapted to serve the needs of marginalized groups. The process included tailored procedures to accommodate the blind, such as guided assistance and specialized verification support, ensuring full participation without barriers.
The Al-Basiir initiative also complements Somalia’s ongoing efforts to implement a secure, digital, and universal identification system aimed at improving governance, social protection, and service delivery. By extending registration to schools for persons with disabilities, NIRA seeks to close long-standing inclusion gaps and guarantee that no citizen is excluded from national development opportunities.
Parents and teachers at Al-Basiir welcomed the program, noting that official identification will help students access education, healthcare, and future employment opportunities more easily.
NIRA reaffirmed that similar targeted registration exercises will continue across the country, prioritizing vulnerable populations—including persons with disabilities, internally displaced people, and rural communities—as part of the agency’s “no one left behind” commitment to national inclusion and equality.