As part of our support to the 16 days of activism campaign, I have invited some of our partners to share their stories.
Abdisalan Buthul Shurie is a Programme Advisor at the Somali Aid Foundation (SAF). The organisation provides support to communities in Lower Juba across a range of issues including health, hygiene, and gender-based violence.
Giving hope to the poor and the vulnerable
In many parts of the country, social and health infrastructure and rule of law are non-existent. The breakdown of law and order and severe gender inequity has left women and young people highly vulnerable to violence, including rape. This violence and other factors have made young displaced people, especially women and girls, increasingly vulnerable to HIV and other infections.
Sexual and gender-based violence are of growing concern in Somalia, especially in IDP camps where women and girls are frequently subjected to rape, abduction and forced marriages. Sexual assault can have devastating consequences for its survivors – including injuries, unwanted pregnancies, HIV infection, and permanent damage to mental health.
My name is Abdisalan Buthul Shurie and I am the programme advisor with a Somali National Non-governmental organization called Somali Aid Foundation (SAF). Over the last 10 years our organisation has implemented community projects that help reduce suffering among the residents of south-central Somalia. Previous projects have included a peace theatre that used artistic presentations to engage youth in meaningful dialogue in order to dissuade them from joining armed militias. This project was funded by the British Embassy.
The writer talking to a 20 year old, mother of two, FGM survivor in the field in south central Somalia
Currently SAF is implementing a one year gender based violence (GBV) project in lower juba districts of Afmadow and Kismayo. The main objective of the programme is to contribute to the prevention of discrimination and violence against women and girls and participate in global torture prevention. The purpose is to reduce the occurrence of all forms of GBV in lower juba districts of Afmadow and Kismayo in Somalia through enhanced advocacy, support to vulnerable groups and capacity enhancement for the local authorities. This will further help reduce discrimination against women, girls and boys and help international efforts to prevent torture.
It endevours to address the structural causes of discrimination and violence against women and girls to ensure their equality before the law and their participation in political and public affairs in accordance with international standards.
The short term expected outcomes of the project include increased clinical care of the survivors of GBV. Such care includes prevention of sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy prevention through the use of emergency contraceptives and physical and psychosocial trauma management. Additionally there is enhanced awareness creation of gender based violations as well as the services available in the community. Community based referral system has been established in the project locations to ensure that there is better access to health facilities and justice system for the GBV and FGM survivors. Enhanced documentation of all the cases occurring are made for follow up purposes.
Over the coming year the project is expected to change the community’s perception of gender based violence. This is envisaged to facilitate prompt reporting of cases without the usual stigma attached to such survivors. Strengthening of community structures is being achieved through training of local peace committees and local authorities in the project area. The community leaders are able to activate the justice system by handling and prosecuting most cases of sexual violence and other gender based human right violations.
The project has only just started but we have already received tremendous support and enthusiasm from the local community and authorities.
It is our determination to restore the dignity of all those violated and contribute towards restoration of much needed hope in them.
We are particularly grateful to the British Embassy Mogadishu for working with us to support our endeavours.
Abdisalan Buthul Shurie
Programme Advisor
Somali Aid Foundation (SAF)