Capacity Building Adviser
Barwaqoo Voluntary Organisation (BVO) and Women Rehabilitation and Development Association (WORDA)
Based in Hargeisa, Somaliland
One year placement
Please note that the selected applicant will be required to take up the placement by October 2015.
The Capacity Building Adviser will be placed with the Barwaqoo Voluntary Organisation and the Women Rehabilitation and Development Association, working alongside key staff members on a daily basis on fundraising, editing project reports and building and strengthening the capacity of women’s community-based organisations in decision-making and participation in the democratic processes in Somaliland. S/he will also take a lead on project activities by providing on-going mentoring and on-the-job coaching.BACKGROUND TO PROGRESSIO
Progressio is a UK-based charity working internationally to enable poor and marginalised people in developing countries to challenge and change the situations that keep them poor. We currently work on people’s rights, development and environment in nine countries and have a long history of working in fragile, post-conflict and authoritarian states. We work with people of all faiths and none.
Progressio works in long-term partnerships with local pro-poor organisations and community groups in the global South. We provide training, advice and support through specialist development workers (DWs) and consultants, most from the global South. They know what works and help our partner organisations find lasting solutions to the problems that poor communities face. We also send committed young adults from the UK to engage alongside local volunteers in community development work, through the International Citizen Service (ICS) programme. DWs, Consultants and ICS volunteers help thousands of people in some of the world’s poorest communities to make lasting improvements to their lives.
Because poverty is about unequal power relations and lack of rights, we support poor and marginalised people to empower themselves to change the structures that keep them in poverty. We help strengthen their call for change locally as well as in the UK and mainland Europe. With our supporters, we stand alongside poor communities in demanding that decision-makers give priority to those with least power and least wealth. For more information please visit: www.progressio.org.uk
INTRODUCTION
Somaliland declared independence in 1991 shortly after the civil war ended. There were a series of inter-clan conferences, which culminated in the Borama Conference of 1993, where a largely clan-based but still fairly democratic system of government was constructed (Ministry of National Planning and Development (MoNPD), 2011).
The Government of Somaliland evolved into a multi-party democracy in 2002 after a number of extensions of the interim government’s mandate. The district council elections were contested by six parties and only the three most successful parties became the national political parties. In 2003, Daher Rayale Kahin became the first Somaliland president to be elected in a free and fair election and in 2010 H.E Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud Silanyo became the second Somaliland president to be elected in a free and fair election (MoNPD, 2011).
Somaliland lays claim to the territory of the former British Somaliland, which covers an area of 137,600 square kilometers, with a northern littoral of 850 kilometers. According to recent World Bank estimates, the population in Somaliland is currently around four million and about 55 per cent are thought to be nomadic (World Bank, 2014). Most of the cities in Somaliland have witnessed substantial growth in population in recent years and the population of the Hargeisa metropolitan area is currently estimated at over 900,000 inhabitants (MoNPD, 2011).
Somaliland's GDP for 2012 is estimated by the World Bank to be about USD$1390.9 million with livestock being the main economic sector followed by the wholesale and retail sector. The economy is very open but there also is a large trade deficit, which is currently being financed by international aid and remittances. According to the Development Assistance Database, estimate international aid for Somaliland in 2012 was about USD$150 million. Also there are low levels of investment, both public and private, which overall results in low levels of employment and high levels of inequality. According to the International Labour Organisation, the biggest problems in terms of employment are the low ratio of employment among the youth, the high underemployment and the high share of workers in vulnerable employment (World Bank, 2014).
World Bank and United Nation figures show that there have been some improvements in the health of Somalilanders in the last decade, even though the situation remains critical. The child and infant mortality rates have gone down, measles vaccination rates have improved and malnutrition rates have diminished. Maternal mortality rates have improved but proportionately much less than other indicators (MoNPD, 2010). Still, Somaliland is facing many challenges, including the scarcity of financial, technical, and human resources, which makes the provision of an essential health service package that balances preventive, curative, and rehabilitative health services not feasible yet, and a critical shortage of trained manpower among all the cadres of the health sector.
With regard to education, even though the situation has greatly improved in the last two decades, Somaliland still faces many challenges, including the low net enrolment ratio in primary education, high drop-out rate in primary education, the low literacy rates and the low ratio of girls to boys attending primary and secondary schools (MoNPD, 2010).
It is common knowledge within the development community that gender inequality is an issue in Somaliland. Women's political participation is very low, as mentioned there is a gender gap in education, and maternal mortality rates are still high, not to mention gender based violence cases, with rape rates soaring in the last few years. It is worth noting then, and it is quite significant, that the Somaliland National Development Plan does not contain a section on women's issues or gender relations. However, it does have a section on youth, which is usually considered the other main marginalised group in Somaliland, although this seems to be changing. Although, there may be contrasting views on gender equality and development priorities in Somali society, the National Development Plan should at least consider women's issues in its country analysis, even if a gender perspective is not adopted.
Somaliland has ensured the physical and territorial security of its people with the deployment of armed forces and securing its territory. The only insecure parts as of November 2012 are some parts of the Sool and Sanaag regions that are contested between Somaliland and the State of Puntland. By and large, people’s security, including that of foreign nationals, can be guaranteed to a reasonable level. Most armed groups were disarmed and peaceful negotiations have been used to settle most of the differences. The state has managed to have monopoly over means of violence/coercion and therefore able to restore and enforce law and order. Although inter-clan clashes over land and grazing rights are occasionally reported in rural districts, these clashes do remain insignificant in nature, scope and impact.
Somaliland has established institutions to guarantee the rule of law. Public order is ensured by police and courts of law, both formal and traditional courts. There are legal frameworks set by Parliament and local councils to safeguard people’s rights and freedoms. The public has access to justice through the judiciary and other mechanisms, though this can be further strengthened. The culture of lawlessness has greatly reduced and citizens are subject to accountability to the law. Impunity and mob justice has no place in Somaliland. Various players are supporting institutional development for promoting justice, law and order.
Although Somaliland has established a democratically elected government with state structures, provision of essential services, civic participation and empowerment are still weak. The political accountability of elected leaders is picking up though allegiance to the clan authority is still dominant compared to allegiance to the electorate and democratic values. In some cases it is hard to draw a line when the majority of voters belong to the same clan as the elected leaders. Stewardship of state resources by political leaders and civil servants is beginning to take shape, though with unreported cases of corruption. Transparency and accountability to the public needs to be further strengthened.
The Government of Somaliland has attempted to ensure public access to basic services, e.g. education, health, water and sanitation. As the economy is weak, the tax base is low and Somaliland doesn’t have sufficient donor support due to lack of international recognition, service delivery is still low. There is a strong social support system based on clans and family links with the Somalis diaspora. This support system has narrowed the huge gap left by the government’s inability to provide essential services to the population. Promoting self sufficiency and employment for youth in the private sector may increase the provision and access to basic services by the citizens.
Many refugees and internally displaced persons have returned and resettled between 1991 and 2012. Some reasonable social reconstruction has been done. However, a reasonable number of people remain internally displaced, especially in Hargeisa, and a number of young people are increasingly migrating to urban areas voluntarily (especially Hargeisa) in search for better socio-economic opportunities. With the current low levels of service delivery and limited job opportunities, many of the new rural-urban migrants have become a category of urban poor. This is an issue that needs to be addressed since the majority of these urban poor are youth and heads of families.
The economy of Somaliland though experiencing growth is largely unsustainable. The major sectors that have experienced growth are telecommunications, transport, financial services, livestock export and, of recent, the construction sector. However, the economy still faces strong challenges that threaten its sustainability namely: a) an inability to enforce macroeconomic stability like exchange rate, inflation control; b) low capacity to control elicit trade, enforce standards, expand the tax base; c) limited technological transfer and very few big public-private investments; and d) an inability to generate enough employment opportunities for the labour force.
While Somaliland’s development is tangible on many fronts, statistical evidence places Somalia/Somaliland among the world’s least developed nations. Life expectancy is low and maternal mortality and other health indicators remain among the worst in the world.
CONTEXT OF THE PLACEMENT
The formation and mobilisation of SHGs (Self-Help Groups) is a five-year programme implemented by the Network Against FGM/C in Somaliland (NAFIS), through its member organisations in the Maroodijeex and Togdheer regions in Somaliland, and funded by KNH (KinderNotHilfe). It is an approach to combat poverty in a sustainable way. It empowers the very poor, the majority being women, socially, economically and politically, empowering them to live a life of dignity with their children in the community through capacity building and mutual support of group members. This approach was introduced in Somaliland in 2013 as six-month pilot and officially started in 2014. Now 11 NGOs named ‘promoting organisations’ implement this approach and NAFIS hosts the programme and provide training, coaching, monitoring, and manage the grant fund for its member organisations.
- The partner organisations - BVO and WORDA
BVO and WORDA are member organisations of NAFIS and involved in the implementation of the SHGs programme. They formed 60 groups (30 groups for each organisation) in Hargeisa, Maroodijeex region, and each group is composed of 15 to 20 women.
1. Barwaaqo Voluntary Organisation (BVO)
BVO is a non-political, non-governmental and non-profit making development action-orientated organisation founded in 1996 by a committed gender balanced group in Somaliland. The organisation is involved with human rights work, particularly on women’s empowerment, education, conservation of the environment, food security, and HIV and AIDS awareness, focusing on prevention and stigma reduction. The organisation is operating in four regions, namely Maroodijeex, Sahil, Awdal, and Togdheer. The General Assembly provides the ultimate decision while the Board of Directors assists in direction setting and provides support to management staff in ensuring that planned activities are implemented.
2. Women Rehabilitation and Development Association (WORDA)
WORDA is a non-profit making and non-political organisation engaged in the development of communities in Somaliland. The organisation strives to upgrade social services, human rights and livelihoods for vulnerable women, children and youth groups through advocacy, enhancing education, skill training and the provision of material packages, e.g. stationery, IEC materials. The organisation is involved in activities on education, human rights, health and HIV and AIDS, and governance focusing on civic education and women’s participation in decision making. WORDA has five Board Members and six management staff that support each other to implement planned activities.
THE PROJECT
Progressio will assist BVO and WORDA by providing technical assistance through the placement of a Capacity Building Adviser. The development worker (DW) will be based and working with the partner organisations alongside key staff on a daily basis on fundraising activities, editing project reports, and building and strengthening the knowledge and skills of women’s community-based organisations in decision making and participation in the democratic processes in Somaliland. This will include assessment and discussion of the existing fundraising activities of the organisations, action plans, provision of necessary technical support, a review of activities undertaken in coordination with key staff of the organisations, and editing project reports. A discussion to identify and select potential SHGs in Hargeisa is important to effectively utilise the presence and technical support that will be provided by the DW. S/he will also prepare training plans and assist key staff to organise and conduct training activities on leadership, community development and mobilisation, rights-based advocacy and tools in monitoring, communication and networking, gender equality and constitutional rights, documentation and reporting, community survey and needs assessment.
NEED FOR THE PLACEMENT
International and regional funding trends and focus have changed for the past years and the political situation and development in Somalia/Somaliland make it more challenging for BVO and WORDA to access funding opportunities, develop and submit ‘fundable’ concept notes and project applications, build and maintain relationships and partnerships with donors while taking into consideration the issues, concerns and needs of their target communities and beneficiaries. In addition, staffs in the organisations have limited capability in fundraising and in preparing quality project reports for submission to donors. Technical support is needed then to assist key staff in fundraising and to diversify the sources of funding of the organisations.