Somaliland Youth Peer Education Network (Y-PEER)

Y-PEER Somalia is a youth to youth initiative was established in 2009.Y-PEER aims to protect and economically empower both women and young individuals. They tackle harmful traditional practices such as FGM, Child Marriage, and GBV, while simultaneously promoting gender equality and advancing sexual and reproductive health among adolescents and youth.

The project aims to reduce violence against women and girls (VAWG), particularly FGM, in the target areas. Regional and district political leaders and councillors are encouraged to participate in advocacy efforts, and local religious and traditional leaders are sensitized and incited to speak out in their communities. Grassroot health and social workers and judicial staff are trained to take active role in efforts to decrease all form of VAWG.

While these activities engage the judicial and moral duty bearers and aim to challenge the normative expectations (what people believe others think they ought to do), also rights holders are engaged, and impunity addressed by supporting vulnerable women to utilize available medical and judicial services for VAWG survivors. Empirical expectations (what people expect others to do) are challenged by reaching out to community role models (women, men, girls and boys) who will be supported to make public declarations against FGM and other forms of VAWG.

The main development processes in 2024 are as follows:

• To challenge the misconception of FGM as mandated by Islam, Y-PEER in collaboration with Ministry of Religion (MoRa) will train 40 local religious and traditional leaders on the negative effects of FGM effect on women. Public discussions led by sensitized Islamic scholars on the rights of Muslim women will be held in each target location. Radio debates between religious leaders on FGM and VAWG will be aired on the national radio station. Live-in calls will enable reach out beyond the target communities. International FGM Day will be commemorated in February and 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence in November-December. Youth audience will be targeted with featured articles and stories in the locally well-known BAAQ Magazine.

• Additionally, Y-PEER applies entertaining elements such as poems and arts competition and a mobile caravan series featuring a theatre performance with messages against FGM, early marriage and gender inequalities. Recorded performances will be shared in the social media to maximize the reach.

• Child-friendly and Somali language booklets about women’s and girls’ rights in Islam will be given to the school children. Boys Against FGM (BAF) groups will receive quarterly support in Sheikh and Erigavo. A bi-annual open debate for women and girls will be implemented where religious and traditional leaders participate and debunk the myth about FGM as Islamic obligation.

• The project will arrange annual training on advocacy skills, bi-annual sensitisation, and follow-up meetings between local political leaders, councillors, and local religious leaders in each target location. In collaboration with Ministry of Religious Affairs, the project will train religious and traditional leaders on prevention, FGM, and other forms of VAWG. In each target location, the project will hold meetings where Islamic scholars are invited to publicly discuss the rights of Muslim women.

• Community health and social workers will be given bi-annual on-job training on lobbying and advocacy skills to encourage the application of statutory (instead of customary) referral mechanisms. Leaflets will be produced to inform communities about the available VAWG survivor services.