From Policy to Action: SHE Associates Trains Somali Women Leaders to Forward Their Communities in Development, and Peace
At SHE Associates we are in the business of skillfully ACTIONING empowerment, this includes operationalizing the Women Peace and Security Agenda. In partnership with Human Concern International, the Elman Peace and Human Rights Center and with the support of the Ministry Family and Human Rights Development Somalia, UNDP Somalia and the Canadian Embassy we were able to pilot a truly unique and necessary capacity development and empowerment training.
In late October we were in beautiful Nairobi, Kenya where we innovatively brought together 20 Somali Women Leaders and coordinators from SEVENTEEN, yes SEVENTEEN districts across 6 states in Somalia to an intimate, intentional and a phenomenal 4-day training on Gender, Women, Peace, Security and Advocacy Campaigning.
Representation was multi-generational from the six regions of Galmudug, Jubaland, South West, Puntland, Hershabelle, and Banadir.
The workshop served as a platform for learning, exchange, and collective visioning on how to drive lasting impact in gender equality, women’s empowerment, and political participation amid the major threats women continue to face in Somalia.
Transforming Policy into Action Led by Affected Populations as Agents of Change
Somali women face systemic and cultural barriers, including underrepresentation in leadership roles, limited resources for advocacy, and insufficient opportunities to inform their humanitarian and peacebuilding needs to advance the change their communities need.
We ensured the training was accessible, with simultaneous interpretation, consideration of cultural and needs and user-friendly tools and training in Somali and English.
In the training we helped frame needs, issues and violence as gendered, to support women’s abilities to translate their issues into policy narratives, when informing policy-makers, donors and the international community.
Issues such as rampant sexual and gender-based violence, political parity, specific humanitarian needs, the desire for the concerted economic empowerment of women and gendered threats by varying vulnerabilities were identified.
Participants were trained on the Women Peace and Security Agenda, and the international legal instruments which strengthen the agenda and methods to ensure uptake of their Local Action Plans (LAPS).
Participants were provided with practical templates, tools and exercises to frame and tackle their communities’ issues within policy and legal narrative.
We conducted a full day of real-world advocacy planning, with participants strategically grouped by regions.
The women went back home equipped with campaign action plans to benefit their communities and amplify their voices. These tangible plans were presented at an intimate Roundtable at the Canadian High Commission in Kenya.
Toward a Brighter Future for Somali Women Leaders
The workshop culminated in a clear roadmap for continued progress—and results are already emerging. Notably, one of the participating leaders is ready to contest a leadership seat in Somalia’s 2026 elections, demonstrating how structured capacity building and strong peer support networks can foster transformation and leadership readiness.
Most importantly, the workshop reaffirmed the critical role of women leaders in WPS, community engagement, and collaborative problem-solving. It underscored that decisions affecting women must not be made without women at the table.
A special treat was a fireside chat with UN Women on the importance of localization of peace and the critical approaches needed and fostered by women.
This was truly a collaborative passion project designed for agency and impact. We laughed, we cried, we danced, we planned. Each and every participant was inspirational and ready to empower their communities.
