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Advocacy
One of the key missions of Gargaar is advocacy. Although the Somaliland government works to uphold human rights there are still many groups and communities in Somaliland who have little or no voice and others who are afraid to voice their say in fear of persecution. This is largely due to cultural, religious beliefs and tribal affiliations.
Minority Group
There are also many minority groups in Somaliland belonging to minority tribes who are traditionally seen as being of a low cast and the small but growing Ethiopian community along with the returnee IDPs many of whom are finding it hard to readjust in Somaliland communities. There have been many reports of hardships and discriminations faced by these groups including racial abuse & violence, sexual violence and robbery of belongings.
Gargaar lobbies and advocates for the rights of these peoples to give them a voice politically and socially. Gargaar also plans to incorporate the issues faced by these people in community discussions, to educate and raise public awareness on the issues being faced by these minority groups.
Members of these groups often visit the Gargaar compound after incidents of discrimination and at times violence. They receive advice and counseling on how to best deal with such issues. Gargaar also holds workshops where members of the police force, clan leaders, media and political figures are invited and the various issues and problems being encountered are highlighted with an aim to address it and change people’s views.
Female Genital Mutilation
FGM remains deeply embedded in Somaliland culture. Many organizations have been working at the national and regional levels for many years, but there is limited implementation of FGM eradication activities at community level. FGM messages need to be included in health institutions’ and schools’ curricula in order to make any impact upon a practice said to have been inflicted upon 98% of the population. Female children find themselves subjected to harmful practices such as FGM in order to satisfy cultural norms. Parents as duty holders are in violation of their obligation to their children who are rights holders when they are forced into doing something that is both dangerous to their future wellbeing and against their will. What is vital to remember is that it is women who carry out the surgery and most often it is coerced and deemed necessary as a right of passage.
It is estimated about 98 percent of young girls have undergone some form of genital mutilation in Somaliland, with about 90 percent subjected to the most severe type. The custom is based on deep-rooted traditions and has an important influence on social behaviour. Girls and women ‘suffer in silence’ with a range of serious health problems. The overall vision is the total abandonment and eradication of FGM, primarily through education, legal capacity building and community empowerment.
Gargaar works to improve public education and intensify its dissemination, through advocacy, distribution of awareness materials, and incorporation into HIV/AIDS program and highlighted in community discussions. However eradication of this practice must be approached extremely sensitively as the custom has been apparent for generations. Women must not be faced with the stark choice of ‘your culture or your rights.’ Educating women, who carry out the surgery, on the harmful effects of FGM will empower them to raise social consciousness in order to put a permanent stop to it.
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