Interpeace Somalia Peacebuilding Programme (Talo Wadaag) 2017-2021

The achievement of the results during this period are as follows: - Somali citizen engagement was demonstrated by the way the programme engaged over 9,000 Somalis (51% women) directly through different programme initiatives that provided a positive contribution towards sustainable peacebuilding and democratization in the programmes target locations. - Increased community support in the reconciliation processes in Ceel Afweyn, Gumburka and Saax-Maygagle Peace Process, through cross-communal exchanges of conflict resolution and continued to implement the conditions for the peace agreement through the peace committees.Four peace agreements have been signed over the last two years. Inclusion of women and youth were also significantly witnessed in the peace processes. - Engaged at least 9,237 Somalis (48.5% women) through activities that included community consultations, meetings, peace mobilisation and awareness raising outreach campaigns and political dialogue consensus in Puntland state in Somalia. - Increased support to the Transitional Puntland Electoral Commission (TPEC) by enhancing public outreach efforts on voter education and public participation on the early elections in three Puntland districts. This helped build public goodwill for the election process that was successfully conducted and laid foundation for democratic process in the remaining 47 districts. - Increased awareness among citizens on key processes through public policy dialogue forums in Puntland. Within the reporting period, 1,840 Somalis (44% women) in Puntland were engaged through the dialogue initiatives. - Through mass media awareness on Voter Civic Education Messages were aired reaching a total of 97,400 people and social media viewership of 41,700. Top audience were 82% male at the age of 25-34, 16% were women while 2% of the reached people were unknow sex. Most of the viewers were in Bari, Nugal and Banadir regions. - Through Nagaad and PUNSA the program supported establishment of Women Situation Room (WSR) in Somaliland and Puntland to monitor issues violence affecting women voters and candidates during the early election. The WSR provided an early warning and responses to election-related gender-based violence (EGBV). The Somaliland WSR received 10,561 calls and 72 significant incidents were reported, of the cases reported women reported eighty seven percent (87.7%), of the reported cases 72 complaint were related to violence.

The recent statebuilding progress in the Somalia region, as witnessed in 2016 by the establishment of all the federal member states and the successful political transition at the federal level that resulted in the election of new Federal Parliament and Federal President, has brought into focus the need for improved connections between governance institutions at all levels and their constituents. This programme was conceptualized with these needs in mind. The overall objective of the proposed programme is to contribute to sustainable peace building and democratization in the Somali region by strengthening citizen and stakeholder engagement in governance and conflict prevention and management through inclusive, participatory, citizen-centred processes and mechanisms. This will help reinforce the capacities of government and citizens to strengthen and ingrain democratic practices, which will promote and sustain cohesion between and among Somalis at the local, regional and federal levels. To achieve this the outcomes of the programme are: i) Citizen and civil society (particularly women and youth) have increased capacity to play a constructive role in peacebuilding and democratization processes; ii) Democratization processes and policies are more participatory, inclusive, and responsive to citizens, civil society, and other stakeholders; iii) Citizens, civil society, and decision makers use increasingly inclusive local infrastructure for peace to sustainably prevent, manage and resolve conflicts.