SONSAF
Democratisation
SONSAF plays a key role in promoting the democratisation
Process in the country; since 2005, SONSAF has been part of the election stakeholders. The forum is mandated to coordinate and deploy civil society election observers’ missions.
Project
Contributing to the Optimisation of Democratic Engagement and Empowerment (CODEE)
2023-2024
CISU
Project
Description
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.
Project
Project: Support Peaceful Elections (PEACE) in Somaliland Programme.
2020-2022
European Union
Summary & Achievements
The project entitled Support Peaceful Elections (PEACE) in Somaliland supported the overall peacefulness of the combined parliamentarian and local elections in Somaliland 2021. In achieving a peaceful election, SONSAF established an Election Situation Room (ESR) that reduces election tensions and conflicts. In addition, to increasing women and minority participation in the electoral
Key Achievements
- Deployment of over 900 election conflict monitors.
- Capacitated over 8,000 political party observers.
- Coordinated and trained Media Houses to promote peaceful elections.
- Supported Somaliland National Electoral Commission (NEC) through civic education initiatives.
- Worked closely with the Ministry of Interior (MoI) command centre to mitigate election conflicts and tensions.
- Provided indirect support to 33 women and minority candidates.
- Successfully advocated for the wavering of all fees to women and minority candidates.
- Produced Joint CSOs election report.
Project
Supporting Electoral and Representative Democracy in Somaliland Through Domestic Election Observation
2015-2017
EU through SaferWorld
Summary & Achievements
The project aimed to contribute towards Somaliland’s ongoing process of democratization and the holding of peaceful Presidential elections. The action promoted a transparent electoral process in Somaliland that is representative of its citizens, through CSOs that can positively influence State authorizes on matters relating to democratization. In addition, CSOs led by SONSAF provided oversight on the election cycle.
Key achievements
- Observed, and reported on election procedures through policy briefing, dialogue, and mediation.
- Engaged with key stakeholders, including NEC, political parties, government, media, CSOs and the international community to coordinate the elections.
- Trained and deployed 620 domestic election observers and 47 CSOs election observers, covering over 40% of the polling stations.
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