Gender-based violence (GBV) continues to be one of the most prevalent human rights violations affecting communities globally. Knowing no social, physical or economic bounds, GBV deteriorates the health, dignity and autonomy of its victims, and creates a culture of silence. Due to unequal power relations, harmful social practices and traditional patriarchal structures, women and girls are disproportionately affected by GBV compared to men. Violence can happen to any woman in any country, regardless of culture, religion or economic status. Gender inequality, which reinforces harmful gender norms are key drivers of violence against women. According to UNFPA1, one in every three women worldwide will experience some form of violence in their lifetime. These odds, coupled with natural disasters and conflicts, leave displaced communities in Somalia extremely vulnerable to GBV. In camp or camp-like settings, women, girls and groups-at-risk often have less access to lifesaving information and to participate in camp-life due to different factors, such as existing unequal power dynamics or cultural barriers that restrict their movements. Meaningful, inclusive and representative participation in decision-making and camp governance structures is imperative for good camp management in ensuring that the risks, needs and capacities of women, girls and groups-at-risk are considered and prioritised. This is also essential in improving humanitarian response, community engagement and support, mitigating GBV and ultimately to ensure accountability towards affected populations. 

To raise awareness and advocate globally for the end of violence against women, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign kicks off annually on the 25th of November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and runs until 10th of December, Human Rights Day. This annual international campaign calls for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls, with the international community and humanitarian agencies actively participating in advocating and highlighting the importance of this campaign. This year, in Somalia, the 16 Days of Activism Against GBV campaign kicked off in Kismayo, Dollow and Baidoa displacement camps with support from the Women Participation Project (WPP) and Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM). Throughout the 16 days, IOM staff recorded attendance of over 2,000 participants, with a third of the participants being male. 

“We want Somali women to be empowered. The trainings and awareness campaigns helped women know where they can report their cases, so that something can be done about them. The women feel encouraged to help themselves,” shared Rahmo Sheikh Abdi, from the Buula Isaaq IDP site in Kismayo.  

Members of the Women’s Group in each location were directly involved in the organisation of the events, which included singing, dancing and theatrical performances. The songs and dances focused on their power to overcome the challenges they face as women and invited other members of the community to join the initiative. Awareness campaigns were opened to all community members within the IDP sites. Trainings on advocacy were aimed at both men and women in Camp Management Committees (CMC) and women’s groups in order to make sure information reached all parts of the community.  

The global theme this year was Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent and Collect, highlighting the need to increase funding to prevent GBV. With less than 1% of global humanitarian funding going towards GBV prevention and response globally, it is essential to highlight this need, to ensure survivors receive the services they need, focus on preventing GBV in communities and to collect data that improves services for GBV. In line with the campaign, community members wore orange shirts, scarves and caps with 16 Days of Activism Against GBV messages embedded. 16 designs of stickers were also distributed, one message for each day of the campaign, tackling issues of GBV and women empowerment. Some of the messages included were “Our girls’ matter. End child marriage,” and “Educate men and boys on how to prevent violence against girls and women.” Written in Somali, the stickers were distributed at the start of each day, and the participants were encouraged to display them in community centres, health clinics, schools and water stations, to raise awareness amongst the wider community.  

“We have never seen women going around and creating awareness sessions on how to eliminate Gender-Based Violence in IDP sites before this campaign kicked off,” says Deka, a member of a women’s group in the Qansaxley IDP site in Doolow. “Many women here both earn a living and look after the domestic chores of the household. It is not always easy. I hope this will encourage men to listen to the women’s voices more.” 

Somalia is experiencing incessant humanitarian crisis due to conflict and natural disasters, forcing many Somalis to leave their homes and seek shelter at informal displacement sites. Approximately 2.6 million people across Somalia have been displaced, the majority of whom are women and children. IOM supports more than 600 displacement sites in Somalia, ensuring that they get access to life-saving basic services such as water, shelter and healthcare. Living in informal settlements with vulnerable social status and shelters lacking privacy or security has left these women and single-headed households vulnerable to exploitation, violence and abuse. GBV data in Somalia indicates that 74% of the survivors who accessed services were living in displacement sites, and 99% of whom were women and girls. IOM operates a Complaint and Feedback Mechanism (CFM) in Baidoa, Dollow and Kismayo, which is a direct feedback channel from the community to the aid agencies through information desks and toll-free hotline-numbers. CFM integrates a GBV referral system in which any cases of GBV are immediately referred to a specialised protection agency for immediate follow-up and survivor protection. Since most reports of GBV are time-sensitive and require confidential but personalised counselling, the direct referral system ensures that GBV cases are prioritised and confidentially managed.  

“IOM and the CCCM cluster is doing all we can to provide a secure channel of communication and protection to the survivors of GBV, but it’s not always easy to overcome the stigma associated with sexual violence, especially when it’s domestic violence,” explained Ahmed, a CCCM program officer based in Baidoa, who made sure that the Women’s Group had all the materials and resources needed to smoothly organise these events. “That’s why campaigns like the 16 Days of Activism Against GBV provide a platform for the community to come together and facilitate an open dialogue about gender balance and the importance of combatting gender-based violence.” 

The Women’s Group in each location are comprised of around 40 core members, with doors opened to any new members all year round. With support from IOM, they organise monthly events to raise awareness of global and local social issues, such as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation and COVID-19 mask-making activities and have become a safe space for women to gather and discuss various issues regarding their lives in the displacement sites.  

The 16 Days campaign concluded with a celebration for International Human Rights Day, the women presented theatre plays and highlighted ways to approach GBV within communities. Although the campaign ended in festivities, it has highlighted the challenge of encouraging survivors of GBV to report their cases and thwarting the stigma associated with GBV still remains with the community and with the humanitarian agencies.  

This article was written by Saba Asif Khan, IOM Somalia Preparedness and Response Division Intern 

The Women’s Participation Project began in 2015 as part of the 'Safe from the Start' Initiative, managed by the Global Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Support team at IOM HQ. With the objective to improve women’s participation and representation in displacement, mainstreaming prevention and mitigation of GBV in camp management operations, the Women's Participation Project has been implemented in 9 countries in the last five years including Ecuador, Bangladesh, South Sudan, Somalia and Nigeria. 

To find out more on the Women’s Participation Project, visit the Women in Displacement Platform.