Date- 2023-2025; Funded- European Union
Implementing partners:
Somaliland Non-State Actors Forum (SONSAF)- Lead applicant
Somaliland National Youth Organisation (SONYO)- Co-applicant: Somaliland
National Disability Forum (SNDF)- Co-applicant:
Project Description
The civic
space in Somaliland is increasingly shrinking; for example, in 2021, over 80%
of CSOs had their licenses revoked; this is attributed to the fact that a
significant number of CSOs have a low capacity to design and implement
demand-driven projects.
CSOs are
crucial in attaining citizens’ rights and promoting responsive, inclusive, and
accountable governance. Unfortunately, the full magnitude of CSO’s potential
impact in Somaliland is yet to be realised in many areas due to the lack of
capacity and collaboration to have unified and amplified voices. Consequently,
there is limited CSO engagement in policy dialogue on issues of citizen
interest, including political representation, rights of the most vulnerable
groups and environmental protection.
Therefore, the project’s overall objective is to strengthen the capacity of CSOs institutionally and improve the operating environment to promote good governance, accountability, better coordination, and prioritisation support to vulnerable groups.
Project Objectives
The project
focuses on two specific objectives to ensure that CSO’s participation and
contribution at both national and regional levels are effective and
sustainable.
Project Objectives
• Improved CSOs’ operating environment to provide oversight on democracy and good governance.
• Institutionally capacitated and better coordinated CSOs that hold authorities to account for the inclusivity of national development plans and programmes.
• Better informed CSOs that provide continued support to gender equality and the needs of vulnerable groups.
• Increased participation of women and marginalized groups in the national development goals.
• Increased access to public services for women and vulnerable groups.