Women-led organisations leading from the front: Coordinating responses to gender-based violence in Somalia and South Sudan

abstract

Responding to gender-based violence (GBV) in fragile and conflict affected states is highly complex and coordination is critical. Both South Sudan and Somalia have unique challenges in providing services. Despite women being disproportionately affected by GBV, there are many barriers to women-led organisations (WLOs) taking leadership roles. Through a feminist participatory action research project with Women for Change (WFC) in South Sudan and Active in Development Aid (ADA) in Somalia (supported by Trócaire, United Nations Population Fund and the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance), barriers to the participation of WLOs in leadership structures coordinating responses to GBV were identified and addressed, and a resource package was produced. WFC and ADA both went on a unique journey in asserting their leadership roles, developing their leadership skills, and raising the voices of WLOs. The impact of their leadership positions through the project had a knock-on effect, and both organisations have increased visibility and been able to insert women’s realities — including GBV — into other interventions. This article discusses the importance of women-led solutions addressing GBV in fragile and conflict-ridden states, and provides recommendations for increasing women’s voice, leadership and action.

keywords:

• women’s leadership
• gender-based violence
• South Sudan
• Somalia
• locally led
• women-led organisations

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anna Tazita Samuel

ANNA TAZITA SAMUEL is a renowned South Sudanese child and woman rights activist. She is the founder and Executive Director of Women for Change, South Sudan, a national organisation in South Sudan. Email: [email protected]

Yusra Ali Adan

YUSRA ALI ADAN is a Director of Active in Development Aid (Women-led organisation) in Somalia and has over 15 years of experience in humanitarian programming. Email: [email protected]

Vicci Tallis

VICCI TALLIS is an independent consultant who has been active in the women’s movement and feminist organising for many years. She provided cover as a Senior Technical Humanitarian Advisor GBV in Emergencies at Trócaire 2022-2023. Email: [email protected]

Amina Ahmed Adhan

AMINA AHMED is the Programme Lead WLOs in GBV Coordination at the Trócaire Hub on Partnership and Localization. Amina has over 5 years of experience in designing and implementing humanitarian programmes. She has substantive experience in GBV in emergencies programming and is passionate about women empowerment. Email: [email protected]

Fiona Shanahan

FIONA SHANAHAN is a psychologist with 17 years’ experience focused on women’s and girls’ rights and psychosocial wellbeing in humanitarian settings and protracted conflict. She works with Trócaire leading a global team of technical advisors supporting women’s and girls’ protection, voice and leadership programme interventions. Email: [email protected]