Somaliland

Our work in Somaliland 

ISF has operated in Somaliland since 2000, with offices in Hargeisa and Burao.  

Preventing violence against women and girls (VAWG) 

We continue to focus on preventing female genital mutilation (FGM), child marriage, and intimate partner violence, while expanding efforts to address sexual violence and transform harmful gender norms. We work through peer groups, self-help groups, and school clubs, where participatory approaches like drama and storytelling help girls learn about their rights and report violence. 

We strengthen community frameworks, including anti-VAWG committees, to ensure local ownership and long-term sustainability. Intergenerational dialogues create spaces to discuss FGM, child marriage, and gender norms, connecting community champions with local authorities to integrate solutions into structural frameworks. 

We also engage men and boys, providing training and dedicated forums to promote positive masculinity, address substance abuse as a driver of violence, and involve fathers in supporting women’s rights.  

Mobile caravans bring awareness sessions through drama, music, and art to pastoral and hard-to-reach communities. Religious leaders and medical ambassadors are trained to raise awareness about the health risks of FGM, while advocacy efforts push for protective legislation and regional alliances to amplify women’s voices. 

Promoting women’s livelihoods 

We support women’s economic empowerment by strengthening self-help groups and cooperatives, identifying promising agri-business opportunities, and providing business support services such as registration, training, and mentoring. Women’s time poverty is addressed, and partnerships with women’s rights organizations help promote economic rights at the clan and administrative levels. 

In rural areas, we support community-based climate adaptation plans, including sustainable energy, water management, and agro-pastoral waste utilization. We collaborate with local research institutions, ministries, and international experts to strengthen natural resource management and resilience to climate change. 

In urban areas, we foster women’s entrepreneurship in artisan industries, connecting tailoring groups with young designers, exploring local by-products for production, and continuing initiatives like ecological menstrual pad production. We ensure competitive market entry by developing quality management systems, business models, and marketing strategies, in collaboration with local key actors and authorities. 

Through these efforts, we empower women and girls, strengthen communities, and create sustainable solutions that combine gender equality, economic opportunity, and resilience to climate and social challenges. 

Women's Rights Situation in Somaliland

The status of women and girls in Somaliland is extremely weak. Although the constitution of Somaliland guarantees equal rights for both men and women, this is often not the case in practice. Traditional gender roles and cultural norms prevent women from participating in decision-making and the workforce on equal terms with men. 

• In Somaliland, up to 39% of girls are married before the age of 20.² Getting a girl married is seen as a means to ensure her economically secure future. Early marriage disrupts girls' education and makes them financially dependent on their husbands. Being uneducated, they are also more likely to lack their own profession and livelihood. 
• In many communities, female genital mutilation is believed to best ensure a girl's eligibility for marriage. Therefore, cutting is seen by many parents as a guarantee for their daughter's ability to get married and secure her future. 
• Female genital mutilation is one of the most severe human rights violations against girls and women in Somaliland, where approximately 98% of girls and women have undergone the practice.³ Legislation to prohibit female genital mutilation has been prepared but not yet approved.
• Other forms of violence against girls and women are also significant issues. However, such violence is often considered a private matter, which hampers its recognition and intervention. Additionally, there is no family law in Somaliland, which further complicates efforts to combat violence. 

ISF supports women in raising their voices and addressing difficult issues, challenging rigid gender roles, and reducing violence against women. We create opportunities for women to participate in decision-making and provide them with the keys to independent livelihoods through programs that focus climate change resilience and small business management skills.

Our grassroots attitude change work educates communities about the harms and dangers of female genital mutilation, with the aim of ending this painful tradition. 

In our projects: 

• We increase knowledge about female genital mutilation among parents, decision-makers, and religious leaders. Collaborating, especially with religious leaders, is of paramount importance as they have significant influence within their communities and therefore have opportunities to influence the cessation of female genital mutilation. 
• We also collaborate with authorities and women's groups, supporting grassroots-level attitude change initiatives.