Democratisation

The name of the intervention is CODEE which means vote (lit. use your voice) in the Somali language. It epitomises our long-term goal to give youth, women, people with disabilities and clan minority communities (hereafter collectively referred to as marginalised groups) political access and representation. In 2021, Somaliland held a combined local and parliamentarian election and – although the elections were successful – no women and PWDs were elected to parliament, and members from the minority clans have few seats. The results from the local district elections were not much better. This intervention aims to increase the inclusion of marginalised groups in Somaliland within civil society structures and Somaliland political systems. The project aims to create tangible change within the internal structures of CSOs and promote a more inclusive and diverse civil society while fostering sustainable change in the political participation of marginalised groups in Somaliland. In this intervention, we will expand our target groups to include all the major CSOs and focus also on women, youth, PWDs and minority clans. Guryosamo, SONSAF and other local partners will, in time, address all the main challenges and barriers that discriminate and exclude the marginalised groups. CODEE is part of an overarching and long-term effort to ensure that many more marginalised groups are empowered and elected in the combined presidential, parliamentary, and local district elections in 2025.
The intervention is to be implemented in Somaliland, the country has attained peace and stability since the declaration of its independence in 1991 from the rest of Somalia.