Decades of armed conflict have shaped Somalia’s culture, politics, and natural environment. But unfortunately, the wars also reduced women’s voices in local decision-making.
We at Samale Institue believe that women’s voices must be a part of Somalia’s home-grown peacebuilding solutions, community ownership, and the promotion of resilience and sustainability in conflict-impacted regions.
Samale Institute recognizes the role of women as social entrepreneurs and how they can help improve the agricultural value chain. As stakeholders in rural development, women can help us take a critical step toward communities achieving sustainable food security and protection of our environment.
Empowering Somali women entrepreneurs through new business models and providing support to help them advance can help our communities recover. It will also help to reactivate our rural economies, support improving food security, and promote the preservation and care of our land.
Confronting challenges such as gendered labour divisions, gaps in education, training, and finance, lack of representation in decision-making, and gender stereotypes, must be prioritized for stakeholders in the Somali agricultural sector. In addition, policy agendas need to incorporate the inclusion of women in business at the farm and supply chain level and promote gender diversity, especially in managerial positions.
Reinforcing women’s participation and removing the obstacles women face in joining economic activities might just be the key to linking the potential of peacebuilding efforts in Somalia. Entrepreneurship delivers a pathway for income generation, poverty reduction, and advances in community welfare. Therefore, providing women the opportunity to engage in economic activity as entrepreneurs and primary managers of economic resources in Somalia can also lead to better peacebuilding outcomes.
Samale Institute wants to support gender equality and bridge the gender gap within the local community by promoting instruments for capacity building for effective, sustainable community development. A better understanding of gender justice and social inclusiveness would help us build a better and secure livelihood for all.
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