4- Gender Equality and Social Inclusion
Despite the effort of various actors in promoting women empowerment in Somalia, imbalance between women and men still features in social, economic and political life. These marked differences are in part, associated with the need to reconcile family and work life, social attitudes and prejudices about appropriate gender roles, and difficulties of mobility and access. These imbalances also arise from the failure of development strategies to adequately address women’s specific needs, to build on women’s experiences and skills, and to facilitate their full participation in development initiatives. It is against this background that CED Somalia received UNDEF funding to intervene through the Promotion of Women Empowerment and Rights Project.;
2) 20 women organizations, umbrellas and associations to articulate locally, nationally and regionally issues that inhibit Somali women’s participation in the democratic process and the full enjoyment of their rights; representatives of the government and international funding organizations. Deeply rooted gender inequality prevails and very common in the country, women are either excluded from formal decision making and asset ownership or operate through a patriarchal filter. The county has extremely high rates of maternal mortality, rape, cases of female genital mutilation, violence against women and child marriage.
CED also enhanced capacity of 20 women led organization through provision of series of gender equality and social inclusion intervention, besides, the project reached out over 10,000 beneficiaries with direct mobilization of gender and women participation in politics, number of women candidates and activists formed themselves alliances for change. Gender mainstreaming has been key strategy in embarking social change in terms of norms and values, additionally, gender analysis remain key prime activities before implementing any activities/project in the target areas.
CED was also awarded from 2018 to 2019 large scale Gender equality and Social Inclusion Project in Hirshabelle State namely Jowhar, Mahaday, Warsheik and Beletwein. Over 10,000 beneficiaries from different social groups including, elders, women groups, traders, women activists, candidates, local administration and others were directly targeted by the project interventions including media, awareness raising, leadership and advocacy and policy amendments for the promotion of women in politics and decision making bodies in Hirshabelle. The objective of this project was increasing women participation in politics and governance system