Somalia

  • Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan
  • From: 01/01/2024 to: 31/12/2024
  • Published: 30/01/2024
  • Coordinated by: OCHA

Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2024 Gender-Based Violence AoR Narrative

  • People in need
    3.2 million
  • People targeted
    1.9 million
  • Financial Requirements (US$)
    73 million
  • Number of partners
    78

Contact persons (e-mail): pmohanty@unfpa.org, muna.hussein@rescue.org

1. Trends in Sectoral Needs

Floods, droughts, conflicts, and displacement are putting women and girls at risk, particularly in Somalia. These risks include inadequate shelter, sexual harassment while traveling, and limited access to services. A joint assessment in Galmudug found that 69% of respondents reported that girls and women have become less safe, while 67% reported an increase in violence, including rape (58%), female genital mutilation (19%), and sexual harassment (12%). Minority clan women and those with disabilities are at higher risk of violence (78%). Over 70% of women and girls do not receive food or have protection when traveling to distribution centers. Data from the GBVIMS 2023 shows worsening levels of IPV at 52% and rape at 15%, compared to 37% and 11%, respectively, in 2022.

Inter-communal clashes and the impact of El Nino contribute to increased displacement, food insecurity, and gender-based violence. The increasing incidence of GBV correlates with the severity of needs, as indicated in the PIN calculation for 2024 (3.2 million), which is an increase from 3.1 million in 2023. Female-headed households are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence and abuse. In Baidoa, it has been identified by partners that more than 83% of the households affected are female-headed. Women and girls in IDP camps require social services, including GBV support, health care, and livelihood assistance. Access to menstrual hygiene materials is a challenge, especially for people with disabilities. 42% of the respondents reported cost as the biggest challenge in accessing menstrual materials, followed by access to the market (14%). Lack of knowledge about the available services and transportation are barriers to accessing services.

Many households report a lack of services for women and girls, including psychosocial support, recreational activities, reproductive health care, and GBV prevention. According to an assessment by BSDC, in Badhaadhe District, 35% of reported protection cases were GBV against women and girls. This was primarily due to the limitations of GBV services, prevention, and risk reduction interventions.

Specialized GBV services will be gradually needed to mitigate and support livelihood recovery in worsening conditions. Improved coordination is required and crucial in newly liberated areas and sites with an increased IDP population to ensure timely and confidential delivery of quality services, supported by real-time data from the GBVIMs.

2. Response Scope and Priorities

The GBV AoR will focus on promoting effective coordination, community-based survivor-centered response, prevention, and risk mitigation measures in Severity 4 and 5 districts. The value for money, accountability to affected populations, HDP nexus, community participation, inclusiveness, and integrating cross-cutting concerns like climate change, AAP, protection, and localization will be well considered. The core strategies include integrating GBV concerns across key clusters, strengthening the capacity of Women's Leadership Organizations (WLOs), and prioritizing the following areas of intervention in 2024:

  1. Enhancing access to specialized GBV survivor-centered services in IDP sites, camps, and host communities.
  2. Supporting legal information and services and livelihood recovery and promotion.
  3. Implementing integrated GBV/SRH (Sexual and Reproductive Health) services.
  4. Mitigating GBV risks through key clusters in the response.
  5. Improving coordination and reporting, including coordination in newly liberated areas,
  6. Strengthening national human and institutional capacity to prevent and respond to GBV.
  7. Promoting a community-based approach to GBV prevention through community engagement.
  8. Conducting research, assessment, monitoring, and evaluation to improve GBV programmes and accountability.

3. Quality and inclusive programming

GBV AoR will collaborate with the AAP working group and advisory team to plan and respond with stakeholders to enable rights holders to assert their rights. Ensure relevancy and accessibility by consulting and engaging targeted community members in curriculum or IEC material production. In conjunction with partners, GBV AoR will increase complaint and feedback mechanisms in all areas by implementing the Client Satisfaction Survey and other community-led monitoring mechanisms to ensure AAP.

4. Cost of response

$72.68 million is required for specialized GBV services to support 1.9 million vulnerable women and girls, including those with disabilities and from minority groups. The costing for the 2024 response considered both direct and indirect expenses, such as human resources and operational costs. However, unit costs vary based on market rates in different project areas. Overall, commodity and service costs have slightly increased compared to last year. Nonetheless, integrating activities and localizing efforts are expected to ensure value for money. Operational costs and overhead should ideally be between 25 and 30 percent of the total budget.

To go the the protection cluster overview page, click here.