The Impact of Fragility, Conflict, and Insecurity in the Horn of Africa
Majority of the states in the Greater Horn of Africa region are characterised by a never-ending cycle of fragility, conflict, and insecurity, created by weak institutional governance mechanisms and the lack of an enabling policy environment. Prior to April 2023, Sudan had been grappling with conflict and violence since the Darfur crisis in 2003, the removal of dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019 and the military coup in 2022. Looking to Somalia, ‘Al-Shabaab’ remains an ever-present threat to peace, security, and stability in the region for over three decades in addition to catastrophic periods of drought.
During and after armed conflict, women of all ages experience displacement, loss of homes and property, murder, terrorism, kidnapping, sexual slavery, rape, and all forms of abuse and violence. Sexual violence and forced marriages have been used by non-state actors, government actors, and clan militia among others as weapons of war in Somalia. At the UN Security Council Hala Al Karib stated that “the suffering of women in Sudan mirrors the suffering of women across Africa- we are being treated as collateral damage, rather than agents of our own lives”. This follows more than 4 million women and girls being at the risk of sexual violence in Sudan. In her words, a pregnant Sudanese 21-year-old survivor of sexual violence stated that, “I cannot even count how many times I have been raped’’.
With increased conflict and war, it is not only important to recognize women as both agents and beneficiaries of peace but also to learn from stories of peacebuilding and activism globally. Through sharing the narratives of three Women Peace and Security (WPS) activists in the Horn of Africa- Hala Al Karib, Yousef Timcade, and Siam, this article suggests that we cannot solely advocate for the WPS agenda, but must also strive for a safe advocacy environment. In his words, Yousef states- “The advocacy environment in Somaliland is quite sensitive, women peace activists and human rights defenders risk being detained or suffering defamation. We are labelled LGBTQ promoters or secularists and in Somalia, detention is better than defamation. Being called secular means that you are no longer a Muslim. Your identity is taken away. Once conflict starts, activists and human rights defenders are the first to be targeted.”
Women Peace and Security (WPS) Activism and Resilience in the Horn of Africa
Within our daily conversations, resilience may be associated with one’s ability to bounce back and grow in the face of life adversities. Yet, what is resilience in the face of such conflict and atrocities? Literature shows that there is a complex relationship between resilience, conflict and gender- while much associates women with the language of vulnerability, leading to disempowerment and marginalisation, others describe multiple stories of women and girls gaining resilience in the face of adversities and atrocities. If resilience is defined as the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, or even significant stress, one may question - at what point of one’s home being destroyed or enduring brutal sexual violence, do people ‘adapt well’? Moreover, do we ever get used to war enough to consider ourselves as ‘having bounced back’? Siam, a Woman Peace Activist from Mogadishu, remarked
“Despite the conflict, Somali people remain hopeful. We are always in a constant process of building and rebuilding our society and striving for a safe community for women and girls.”
Her words support the suggestion that resilience exists on a continuum and can change overtime. In regards to conflict, resilience should never be thought of as one ‘getting used’ to war. No country and its people ever get used to conflict, nor do women and girls ever get used to being victimised and abused in the face of conflict. Rather, resilience among women peace activists involves their unending strive for peace and inclusivity despite being confronted by atrocities, abuse and suppression.
Since 2020 Siam has engaged in various WPS advocacy efforts.
“Being a woman peace activist in Somalia is incredibly challenging but rewarding. Patriarchy embedded within the culture and religion makes WPS activists targets and victims of intimidation and harassment not just by the militia. To protect myself and my family, I must work anonymously to lessen the likelihood of retaliation and attacks. My neighbours think I am [a] teacher.”
Working in hiding, Siam has supported various research and advocacy efforts aimed at ensuring women reclaim their agency in peacemaking and calling the government to implement the UNSCR 1325 in Central Somalia.
Yousef Timcade, a lawyer from Hargeisa, is a proud male ally who advocates for women peace and security in Somaliland.
“While Somaliland remains a peaceful state within the Somalia region, the reconciliation and peacebuilding process in the 1970s-1980s did not involve women. It is for that reason that up to date [the] conflict remains a big threat to their rights and freedom. I worked with courts as a law student and I was surprised at how women and girls in Somaliland are violated. I listened to stories of the worst forms of rape and sexual violence. The customary law has infiltrated religion calling for compensation and not criminalization of GBV related crimes. That is why a girl who is raped and… gets pregnant ends up marrying her abuser. I am not ashamed to be an ally and an activist. Women are more than 50% of the population and their rights [are] human rights. As a Muslim man, I believe that sexual violence, is against the Quran. That is why I will never give up”.
Yousef writes under SIHA Network, and facilitates WPS training while advocating for the implementation of the sexual offences bill in Somalia and has formed several coalitions of WPS activists.
Conclusion
During SIHA Network’s Feminist Peace and Solidarity Conference on Sudan in November 2023, Hanna Tetteh, stated “Sudanese women here today embody their country’s resilience. Their presence and the chance to engage in dialogue signals hope.”
Supporting WPS programs under SIHA Network, taught me that resilience is not the absence of trauma or ignoring the physical and psychological battles; it is a high level of awareness of adversity, and its impact on an individual and their community fuels inquiry as how to organise, leverage power and disrupt systems for transformative change. Importantly , for resilience to be sustained, it should involve and uphold collective care as activist Hala Al Karib resonates:
“We get burned out when we centre everything around ourselves. Women Peace and Security Activism is ingrained in African culture. It is what helps [us] African women to sustain ourselves when confronted with toxic masculinities, suppression, and inequalities. I believe in collective care, when we take care of others, others are willing to take care of us. We came to this life to live a legacy. It is a short and brief journey.” Hala Al Karib (Sudan)
In Love and Solidarity: Messages from the Field
Recognizing that the past 5 years have witnessed increased war, marginalisation and suffering globally with many women and girls exposed to various forms of violence, there is a need for more messages of hope, love, and solidarity.
Woman and child cross the street past remains of a car bomb in the Wardhigley District, south of Mogadishu. 2015. | Photo credit: Mohamed Abdiwahab/AFP/Getty Images.
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“Dear survivor of armed conflict violence, even though the way you travel is marked with adversity and conflict scars, never forget that you are not walking alone. Your voice is echoed by me and a million others, carried by a sense of sisterhood and solidarity.” Siam. (Mogadishu)
Two women look out within an IDP site in northern South Sudan, 2024. | Photo credit: Alioune Ndiaye/OCHA.
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“Dear survivor and fellow activists, I believe in solidarity in action. All women and girls in the Horn of Africa need to act solidarity with each other. We need to be consistent. If today we raise our voices against femicides and sexual violence, then tomorrow we keep quiet, the perpetrators and survivors will not take us serious. Conflict-related abuse risks being normalised when we stay silent.” Yousef Timcade (Hargeisa)
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