Call for a Women-Led / Women’s Rights Partner Organization in Somaliland 

ISF is seeking a dynamic, women-led organization in Somaliland that champions women’s rights and drives structural change through advocacy and policy influence. We are looking for a partner with a proven commitment to preventing violence against women and girls (VAWG) and advancing women’s economic rights. The ideal partner is rooted in the local context, actively engages in advocacy, and has the vision and capacity to influence decision-makers at community, regional, and national levels. 

The International Solidarity Foundation (ISF) is launching a call for a new women-led local partner in Somaliland to implement a four-year, advocacy-focused project that will complement ISF’s community-level work on VAWG prevention and women’s sustainable livelihoods. The partner will strengthen advocacy to prevent VAWG — including, but not limited to, female genital mutilation (FGM), early/child marriage, and partner and non-partner violence — while advancing women’s economic empowerment and rights. This includes promoting safe and healthy working environments, improving access to vocational training and finance, and advocating for the formalization of female-dominated sectors. The project will prioritize policy and legal influence and advocacy across civil society as well as at community, regional, and national government levels. 

ISF is a Finnish development organization founded in 1970. Its development programme for 2026–2029 operates in Kenya, Somaliland, and Ethiopia, and has three outcomes: 

1. Communities abandon harmful practices and VAWG.
2. Women have the ability and power to generate and control income and assets.
3. Civil society promotes women’s rights.

Partners’ role in the work of ISF

ISF’s operating model is based on partner-led development projects. Partners include diverse actors such as local NGOs, member-based private sector actors (e.g. cooperatives), community-based organizations, umbrella organizations/networks, educational/research institutions, religious entities, and multi-stakeholder consortia. Partners are responsible for planning, implementing, and monitoring projects that align with ISF’s programme as well as their own organizational strategies. As a partner, you will collaborate with other local actors in ISF’s network, benefiting from cooperation, mutual learning, and skill-sharing opportunities through training and networking. 

In Somaliland, ISF 2026-29 programme will have partner-led projects that focus on VAWG prevention and women’s livelihoods e.g. in Togdheer and Maroodijeeh regions. To complement these efforts, ISF is seeking a new women-led partner to implement a project with a strong advocacy and policy and legal influencing focus. Emphasis will be on two thematic areas:  

Addressing VAWG, including: 

• Improving access for women and girls to essential and safe multisectoral services 

• Preventing VAWG through shifts in behaviours and attitudes 

• Strengthening the effectiveness of legislation, policies, national action plans, and accountability systems to end VAWG 

Advancing women’s economic rights, including: 

• Advocating for the formalization of female-dominated livelihood sectors and strengthening meaningful participation in decision making 

• Expanding women’s access to vocational and professional training and finance 

• Ensuring safe and healthy working environment, including protection from harassment and exploitation 

Eligibility 

The selected partner must: 

• Be a women-led organization, formally registered and operating in Somaliland for at least two years, with at least 51% of leadership positions across management, senior management, and the board held by women 

• Preferably have proven experience in advocacy, policy influencing, and structural change for women’s rights 

• Be able to demonstrate prior engagement in advancing women’s economic rights and/or preventing VAWG 

• Have a firm zero-tolerance policy on FGM and child marriage. 

Preferred Proposals 

ISF will prioritize applications from organizations that demonstrate: 

• Core focus on women’s rights and economic rights: The organization’s mission and work should prioritize women’s and girls’ rights, gender equality, the elimination of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV)/VAWG, and/or the advancement of women’s economic rights; 

• Constituent-led approaches: Organizations dedicated to marginalized women and girls, with programming informed by their priorities. This may include internally displaced women and girls, women and girls with disabilities, female-headed households in fragile economic situations, or minority-clan women. 

Project Proposal 

• The project should be presented for four years (2026–2029). 

• The indicative budget is up to EUR 60,000 per year. The final budget will be agreed during a 3–6-month planning phase (earliest start January 2026). 

• Concept Notes must be submitted by 26^th October through a Microsoft Forms template. We recommend preparing your Concept Note in Word before submission, as drafts cannot be saved in the system. Questions are available in PDF format. 

• Incomplete applications or those received after the deadline will not be considered. 

Supporting Documents 

In addition, the following documents should be sent by email to isfsom@isf.fi by 26^th October, with the subject line: “ISF Partner Selection / SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS.” Please name each attachment clearly, including the organization name and document content. 

• Registration certificate 

• Constitution (or equivalent mission/values/administrative document) 

• Organigramme 

• List of board members (if applicable) 

• 2–3 relevant reference letters (one preferably from a line ministry) 

• One recent external audit report 

• CVs of senior management staff (max 3) 

• List of relevant rules, regulations, policies, and manuals (note: only a list—full documents will be requested from pre-selected partners) 

Questions 

Questions about this call may be sent to isfsom@isf.fi by 22^nd October with the subject line: “ISF Partner Selection / QUESTIONS.” 

Selection 

The choice of partner and the launch of collaboration remain conditional on the funding decisions of ISF’s back donors.