WHAT WE DO

Nagaad is currently running the following core programmes:

1. Environment Programme

The environment programme's overall goal is to improve the status of environment conservation and protection in Somaliland. Somaliland faces some serious environmental challenges, such as uncontrolled cutting of acacia and juniper forests for charcoal and timber export. This practice is causing lasting damage to the rangelands - the country's most precious resource.
Currently, the Environment Programme is running neighbourhood environment committees, which is a strategic approach for the systematic promotion of self-reliance. The goal is to create and promote self-supporting structures, which would help to eliminate the culture of dependence. The project objective is to work with local communities at the neighbourhood level and to promote and enhance awareness among the local communities.

You can now view a drama coordinated by Nagaad’s Environment Programme Coordinator, and shown live at Mansoor Hotel and the Khayriya Public Square in Hargeisa on 5 June, 2004 (World Environment Day). The objective of the drama was to raise the awareness of the general public on the environmental degradation the country is now facing. This degradation is the result of tree cutting for charcoal (currently the only cooking energy), the use of plastic bags, and the increase in private enclosures (which is taking up most of the grazing land for the animals). The drama was made possible by funding from the Heinrich Boell Foundation.

(Right click link and click 'save target as' to save the file to your hard drive.)
Download Part 1 of Environmental Drama
Download Part 2 of Environmental Drama

2. Gender Development Program

The Gender Development Program covers human rights issues including FGM/FGC and other issues related to violence against women. The sector was established following a study which revealed that the socio-economic and socio - cultural status of women was low. Among the root causes of this included the long period of the civil war leading to family displacement, rape of women and overburdening of women, as they had to be breadwinners in addition to other reproductive and productive roles they performed.

Implications included the destruction of the education infrastructure which partly led to the current low education status of women that has jeopardized women's access to meaningful employment, with majority of women engaging in petty businesses hence weak economic base. Cultural attitudes and practices were also cited as having aggravated the low status of women. This was attributed to the perceptions that a woman should always stay in the house to serve men, which has further been an obstacle to women accessing job opportunities outside the home.

3. Heegan Human Rights Network

The Somali name "Heegan" means ever ready, which underscores the commitment of the group to uphold the principles and spirit of women's human rights and the protection and promotion of the rights of the girl-child. During its short history, Heegan had implemented several projects in the field of human rights, either separately or in collaboration with others, viz:
- A survey on the situation of women inmates in jails or in custody in police stations country-wide (UNIFEM funded).
- A public awareness campaign on the eradication of FGM.
- A survey on child inmates in jails (funded by UNDP).

4. Women-in-Decision-Making Forum

The forum is a pressure group that fights for women participation in leadership positions at all levels of the Somaliland government. Somaliland has a clan-based government structure which hinders women's participation in the decision-making process. As a result, women are demanding to get their fair share as citizens and are aspiring to change the cultural view that sees women as unsuitable to enter the public sphere. The forum's activities consist of:
- Capacity building
- Advocacy training and lobbying
- Research and documentation
- Public relations and networking

5. HIV/AIDS Project

Nagaad is currently implementing the second phase of the "Gender Dimensions of HIV/AIDS/STD", a one-year (January-December 2006) project funded by the Finnish Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. The overall objective of the project is to enable women to participate in advocacy issues on HIV/AIDS/STD prevention through gender-based IEC. The activities of the project are:
- Raising public awareness
- Life Skills training packages
- Women-based media programmes
- Production of culturally sensitive appropriate IEC and drama documentary films.

The scope of the project covers the six regions of Somaliland.