Organisation Background
The organization was legally registered in year 2008 as a charitable Non – Governmental Organization. The organisation main aim is to consolidate and utilize the skills and ideas of the educated Somali women and girls towards empowerment of the larger Somali community and rebuilding the Somali civil-war/ Al-Shabaab devastated drought affected communities. The organization was founded by young women professionals particularly graduates from colleges and universities as a vehicle of alleviating human suffering by addressing thematic issues that are affecting the Somali community including violation of human rights, poor health and sanitary conditions, high poverty levels, forced displacement and humanitarian assistance. The young women who are the masterminds of this important innovation have been offered relentless moral, technical and financial support from the Somali women and girls who live in Minnesota, London, Canada and Italy. As a result, the organization have initiated and managed numerous community projects which address the humanitarian needs of the women and girls, the violence against women and enhancing the political and social participation of women and girls in decision making processes.
Since its inceptions, the organisation have been working with various stakeholders including state actors such as representatives from Somali Federal Government, World food Programme, local and regional administration from federal member states to implement community projects. Among the successfully implemented community projects include digging of shallow water wells in Washaqo , Bananay of Hudur district , and fadelabi village of Marka district ; provision of pit latrines in Gandawi of Marka and Geywarow villages of Lower Shabelle region , organizing women leadership training on human rights at Mudug/Galkayo and Mogadishu , Marka and Qoryolay of lower Shabelle region and distribution of relief aid to hundreds of displaced Somalis living in the worst hit central southern regions of, Lower and Middle Shebelle’s, Lower and Middle Jubba, Gedo and Bakool. Some of the organisation ongoing projects include Peace Building Awareness Campaign, Human rights advocacy initiative and Institutional capacity building on Gender Based Violence survivors in Qoryolay, Marka, and Mogadishu. Construct one school with three rooms and one hospital in Karaban and Washaqo villages for Gedo and Bakool regions. The organization personnel include over XXXX employed and experienced staffs, pro-bono volunteers and interns. The organisaation operates in five main regions in south and central Somalia with three main offices in Marka, Mogadishu and Galkayo.
Purpose and Relevance of the Project
The presence of peace and economic stability are essential ingredients for the survival of humanity on planet earth regardless of geographical location. However, the rising cases of war, violence, armed conflict and violations of human rights have subjected millions of people across Somalia to flee their homes and end up living as internally displaced persons, refugees or asylum seekers. Somalia has undergone over 25 years of perpetuated civil strife, anarchy and lawlessness following the collapse of the former central government in 1991. The widespread inter-clan conflicts and other interest-driven conflicts amongst the political and ideological motivated conflicts in the country have resulted to unprecedented human suffering ever witnessed in the continent. Evidently, the recent Human Rights Watch World report indicated that fighting, insecurity and lack of state protection, and recurring humanitarian crises had a devastating impact on Somali civilians in 2018. The report further indicated that the number of internally displaced people, many living unassisted and at risk of serious abuse, sexual violence, forced evictions, indiscriminate killings and limited access to basic services reached an estimated of 2.7 million people. This has been highly attributed to the Islamist armed group Al-Shabab subjected people living under its control to harsh treatment, forced recruitment, and carried out deadly attacks targeting civilians. Elsewhere, Human Rights Watch report indicated that military operations by Somali government forces, militia, African Union and other foreign troops, notably against Al-Shabab, resulted in civilian deaths and injuries in 2018.
The violation of human rights has been so tense especially in Southern and Central part of Somalia. According to the Amnesty International, all parties to the conflict use mortars and heavy weapons in areas populated or frequented by civilians, killing and injuring thousands of people, many of which are women and children under the age of 14.Human rights violations include indiscriminate attacks against civilians, forced displacement, restrictions on humanitarian aid, sexual abuse including rape, extra judicial executions, arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and forced recruitment. The UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) report on the ‘the precarious enjoyment of the freedom of expression’ report indicated that the Federal Government of Somalia and Federal Member States have made modest progress on the promotion and protection of human rights but a significant number of recommendations remain unimplemented. The Human Rights Watch World report indicated that Internally displaced women and girls remain at particular risk of sexual and gender-based violence by armed men, including government soldiers and militia members, and civilians. On the other hand, various treaties including Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Geneva Convention forbid the indiscriminate use of force against civilians and protection of human rights. It is on this background that organization seeks fund in order to accelerate its community-based project entitled Human Rights Advocacy Initiative. The initiative focuses on awareness promotion on human rights among the students and lecturers in universities and advocacy on women’s rights including Female Genital Mutilation, Gender Based Violence and legal framework on sexual offences.
Project Goal and Objectives
The main goal of this proposal is to strengthen and accelerate organization community based with a focus on awareness and promotion of human rights among the students and lecturers in universities and advocacy on women’s rights including Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and legal framework on sexual offences. This project will be carried out in Mogadishu, Marka and Shabelle. Specifically, the project seeks to realize the following objectives:
- To carry out training for university students and lecturers on human rights as contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other International Instruments
- To carry out a stakeholder’s consultation meeting on the advocacy strategy for Sexual Violence Bill which was approved by the Federal Government of Somalia in May 2018
- To carry out capacity building training for Trainers of Trainers on Prevention and responsive mechanisms for Gender Based Violence, Female Genital Mutilation, and Child Protection
- To carry out awareness raising training on prevention of human rights violations against Internally Displaced women and girls
Methodology, Proposed Activities and Work Plan
Study Design. A descriptive study design will be used while implementing this project. A baseline survey and post-test survey on participants’ perception and understanding of human rights will be carried out prior to the commencement of the project and at the end of the project. Two groups of participants will be selected to participate in the baseline and post-test survey. These include university students and lecturers as well as the Trainers of Trainers who will participate on a capacity building training. The organization will work collaboratively with ANY CONCERNED NGO to formulate the survey questions, data collection, reporting tools and formats.
Proposed Activities
- Carry out human rights trainings for university students and lecturers – Students and lecturers can play a key role as catalysts and activists of human rights if they are well informed and empowered accordingly. A well informed and educated generation of young people will advance and protect the violations of human rights in our troubled country. With the grants from ANY CONCERNED NGO, organization will identify and recruit 200 students and 40 lecturers from 6 universities and colleges who will participate on two days empowerment training on human rights as contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other International Instruments. The organization have existing partnership with some of the universities/ colleges and therefore organization will seek administrators support in order to conduct the trainings within each of the University/college. This will also reduce the cost of planning and budget for the training. The selection of participants will be across all the academic disciplines though the law department will have a large representation. At the end of the training, participants will collectively develop an action plan which they will implement within the university/college and their neighborhoods or else adopt a nearby community/village.
- Organize 2 days stakeholders’ consultation meeting – Women and girls across the country continues to be victims of forced rape and every form of sexual harassments. In this case, organization plans to organize a two days stakeholders’ consultation meeting in order to discuss the recent approved sexual offence bill. organization targets to recruit 50 stakeholders who will include community leaders, district committees, traditional elders, village/clan elders, school head teachers/principals, religious leaders, Policy makers from the federal Government of Somalia (FGS), youth and women leaders. At the end of the consultation meeting, participants will be engaged to develop an advocacy strategy and action plan which will be implemented immediately through the guidance of organization, ANY CONCERNED NGO and FGS representatives. This training will be held in Mogadishu.
- Carry out a capacity building training for Trainers of Trainers (TOTs)– Most women and girls in Somalia have been victims of gender-based violence and female genital mutilation. On the other hand, children are being recruited as soldiers at a very early age. In this regard, the organisation plans to conduct a one-day workshop targeting 40 trainers of trainers (ToTs). The main aim of the workshop is to empower the TOTs with prevention and responsive mechanisms for Gender Based Violence, Female Genital Mutilation, and Child Protection. The ToTs will include community leaders, district committees, traditional elders, village/clan elders, school head teachers/principals, religious leaders, youth and women leaders.
- Carry out awareness raising training on prevention of human rights violation – Most of the displaced families usually end up living as internally displaced persons (IDPS), asylum seekers and refugees. IDPs women and girls usually face numerous challenges in the process of forced displacement including sexual abuse. The organization plans to organize an awareness raising training targeting 50 community leaders, administrators, religious leaders, women and youth leaders in Marka and Shabelle. The training will focus on prevention of human rights violations against Internally Displaced women and girls.
