Changing Social Norms in Somalia: Baseline Report on CHANGES Project addressing women empowerment, female circumcision and early marriage

Somalia is ranked as one of the bottom five countries in terms of gender inequality. Besides high rates of poverty and vulnerability, the country is struggling to make progress in most social indicators. While high vulnerability to various insecurity and climatic shocks has made it challenging to accelerate economic and social development in the country, various social norms also limit fulfillment of basic human rights for women and children (especially girls). The limited voice of women in household and community decision-making, gender based violence, early marriage of girls, and female circumcision are some of the key outcomes of the pervasive social norms against women.

A consortium of Save the Children (SCI), the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and CARE International has launched a 4-year project titled “Challenging Harmful Attitudes and Norms for Gender Equality and Empowerment in Somalia” (CHANGES). With financial assistance from DfID and Norwegian Embassy, this project is designed to implement a set of economic strengthening and social interventions to be implemented in 14 districts of Somaliland, Puntland, and South-Central regions of Somalia. The project intends to combine macro level advocacy and networking with community level sensitization and economic supports in order to empower women socially and economically, and reduce female circumcision and child marriage.