The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA Network) takes this opportunity of its presence at the 51 Human and People’s Rights to raise some key human rights issues facing women in Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia. The SIHA Network incorporates civil society initiatives focussed on women from across the horn countries, incl Ethiopia, Uganda, Djibouti, South Sudan and Somaliland. This paper’s focus on Sudan, Somali and Eritrea is simply a reflection of the current prevalence of violence against women in these regions and the numerous reports of human rights abuses from our member organisations from these countries.
This year, grants will prioritize initiatives which share that focus and look to do either of the following:
Strengthen activism for women rights Through; provision of service to the community with a view to building deeper links and to grow and gain communities support for women rights and women organization. This could be done through the provision of direct services to the community on a subject relevant to the organization/association mandate and the needs of the community they work with.
Outreach and solidarity activities with isolated women e.g. women who are isolated culturally because of their race religion or cultural stigma, women in conflict situations. The initiative should work to enabling them to be involved in civil society and to see its value and how to be involved in the women’s rights and development activism.
Intergenerational dialogue and learning between the young and older activist for women rights. To create links between women’s activists who are experienced and women’s activists who are inexperienced. To share information and pass collective knowledge and for both generations to be involve in joint actions and activities
All projects must have an advocacy component – they must influence the process of challenging the subordinate status of women in society.
The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa, which means 'The Outcry' in Arabic, is a network of civil society organizations from Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia and Somaliland.
The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA Network) takes this opportunity of its presence at the 51 Human and People’s Rights to raise some key human rights issues facing women in Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia. The SIHA Network incorporates civil society initiatives focussed on women from across the horn countries, incl Ethiopia, Uganda, Djibouti, South Sudan and Somaliland. This paper’s focus on Sudan, Somali and Eritrea is simply a reflection of the current prevalence of violence against women in these regions and the numerous reports of human rights abuses from our member organisations from these countries.
