PRESS RELEASE Women Campaign and Advocacy Workshop Empowers Women in Somaliland

Hargeisa, Somaliland – October 16, 2024

NAGAAD Network, a leading women’s empowerment organization, in partnership with Oxfam, today launched a women’s Campaign and Advocacy Workshop aimed at strengthening the Women’s Situation Room’s capacity to address Gender-Based Violence (GBV) during elections.

The workshop targeted representatives from three political parties and seven political associations in Somaliland.

Key Objectives of the Workshop:

• Empower women to effectively engage in the electoral process at all levels.
• Enhance the Guidelines of the Women’s Situation Room to ensure early warning and rapid response to election-related GBV.

The Women’s Situation Room, a critical early warning system, will play a vital role in preventing and mitigating GBV incidents during elections.

Speaking at the opening event, the Executive Director of NAGAAD Network emphasized the importance of this workshop in training women from political parties and organizations to advocate for peace and reach out to communities, especially women, through the WSR Center for Monitoring Violence against Women.

Guest speakers, including Kristina from NMID, Maria Gahayr from UN Women, Abdiaziz Adani from Oxfam, Ayanle Abdilahi from UNDP, and Anwar Abdirahman Warsame, the Chairman of SONSAF, also addressed the participants.

“I believe that this kind of workshop is crucial for addressing the obstacles that prevent women from participating in politics,” stated Warsame. “I commend NAGAAD Network for bringing together women from parties and organizations to raise their awareness of campaigning and addressing violence against women.”

Finally, this workshop represents a significant step towards empowering women in Somaliland and ensuring a more inclusive and equitable electoral peace campaign. By enhancing the capacity of the Women’s Situation Room and providing women with the necessary skills and knowledge, NAGAAD Network and its partners are working to create a safer and more inclusive political environment for

all.