Community Action Against Poverty (CAAP)

Community in Action Against Poverty (CAAP) is a non-profit organization focusing on Humanitarian, development, justice and peace building in Ethiopia’s Somali region.

The project with ISF will tackle violence and harmful traditional practices (mainly FGM and child/early marriage) against women and girls by challenging the underlying cultural and religious beliefs and practices that promote such behaviors. Collaboration is sought with, for instance, the Islamic Affairs Supreme Council, the Sharia Court, and the Bureaus of Women. The project will also work closely with male and female peer role models who have rejected violence and harmful practices, and survivors will be encouraged to share their experiences.

In 2024, the main process is the joint planning phase including all necessary background analyses and project design, resulting in a comprehensive 4-year project plan and a detailed 2024 activity plan (Q3-4). ISF will also conduct an organizational capacity assessment of CAAP, help them in drafting a capacity building plan and train their key staff in financial management.

The project reduces the FGM/C through

• community capacity building, community mobilization for social and gender norms changes, awareness-raising and advocacy to contribute to the abandonment of FGM/C in the community. What makes this project a locally owned project, is its extensive range of community level activities and its multi-faceted approach to changing FGM/C knowledge and behavior.
• generating dialogue, empowering women and communities to advocate against FGM/C, involving influential religious and traditional leaders, and creating networks of anti-FGM/C groups from the grassroots to the regional level are just some of the activities that will contribute to its success, local ownership and sustainability. 
• empowering girls and women to voice out their rights, and change a marriage, empower cutters and parents with knowledge on adverse health effects of FGM and related laws to commit abandonment of FGM and strengthen existing community systems through innovative capacity building approaches and advocacy forums, then it would reduce the new cases of FGM/C.