This project will provide micro grants to volunteer District Peace Committees (DPCs) in over 30 districts of Somalia to support their reconciliation efforts. The project, by helping DPCs respond to conflict rapidly, will ensure early action to prevent escalation of disputes that may lead to violent conflict. DPCs already respond to issues related to gender-based violence, property disputes, and clan conflicts. They provide mediation, community dialogues, and conflict prevention activities.
DPCs are voluntary structures that work in areas with limited/no access to formal justice systems and have over the years assisted communities to resolve conflicts with little external support. One of the main challenges they face includes the lack of monetary support to fulfill their roles and reach many communities living in conflict. These funds will ensure that they are able to cover small expenses such as traveling to a remote village far from the main town or hire a hall for an extra day.
Most conflicts in Somalia are rooted in issues at the local level. This rapid response fund will provide local peacebuilding committees with the resources to coordinate response initiatives at the grassroots level. Resources for community dialogue, trauma healing, and mediation will build strong community systems for peaceful conflict resolution. The fund will respond rapidly, address issues before they become violent, and ensure flexibility in a quickly changing environment.
Strong local peacebuilding structures trusted by their communities will teach peaceful conflict resolution and undo years of conditioning where conflict was solved through violence. Local committees have successfully integrated modern and traditional justice methods, incorporating everyone's voices including elders, women, youth, and refugees. Lessons learned from these committees can be used at the Federal Member State and Federal Government level as Somalia rebuilds for a peaceful future.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
