Advocating for Context-Based Interventions to Mitigate Gender-Based Violence and Discrimination in Baidoa, Southwest State of Somalia

Abstract: Discrimination based on gender is a pervasive issue throughout Somalia, with women facing various forms of domestic violence, sexual assault and barriers to gainful education, employment, social, economic and political participation. Factors ranging from displacement of people, conflict, religious, cultural, communal, clan, political to social status have been adduced as the root cause for discrimination and violence against women. Focusing on acts of gender discrimination and gender-based violence in the city of Baidoa in the Southwest State of Somalia, this paper provides germane context-based interventions to mitigate the GBV scourge. Conscious of the fact that discrimination based on gender is not only a violation of human rights but also detrimental to societal development, this article shows that for civic education on gender discrimination and violence to be effective, it should be customized to the specific regions, clans and communities in Somalia and that practitioners drawn from these areas should be involved in its delivery. Materials used for civic education should be translated into local dialects with local idioms and totems used in messaging. Clan elders, religious leaders and local administrators should be involved in educating community education and advocacy efforts aimed at eliminating gender-based violence and discrimination. This paper concludes that in order to accelerate progress towards a more just and equitable society for all in Somalia, all stakeholders should be involved in advocacy and mainstreaming gender in society.