“Now, I can identify early warning indicators and raise alarms”: How community champions are preventing violence and protecting rights in Somalia
Somalia is navigating a complex transition shaped by conflict, climate shocks, political uncertainty and security threats, alongside renewed efforts for state-building and community-led peacebuilding. While national and international frameworks remain relevant, everyday peace and protection increasingly depend on local dynamics where clan relations, displacement, gender inequality and resource-based tensions intersect.
Across federal member states, communities face persistent risks: armed violence, clan disputes, forced displacement and heightened vulnerabilities for women, young people and marginalised groups. Climate shocks such as droughts and floods intensify competition over land, water and livelihoods, fuelling local conflicts and weakening social cohesion. Shrinking humanitarian space and evolving security dynamics place greater responsibility on communities to anticipate, prevent and respond to threats.
Saferworld, in partnership with Somali Women’s Studies Centre (SWSC) in Jubaland and Bay Women Association Network (BAYWAN) in South West State, strengthens conflict prevention and peacebuilding through community-based early warning and early response (EWER) systems using inclusive, gender-responsive approaches.
Community EWER champions – including women leaders, youth networks, elders, religious leaders and civil society – play a vital role in bridging gaps between governance structures and community realities. They draw on local conflict resolution mechanisms and inclusive dialogue platforms to integrate gender-responsive protection, amplify women’s participation and promote accountability.
Trained through the EWER system, these volunteers gather and verify reports, share findings with authorities and help inform timely action. The system connects people with support – from police to social services and traditional leaders – improving safety and state responsiveness. By addressing risks early, EWER helps prevent violence, strengthen security and build trust.
From challenging harmful norms to resolving deep-rooted clan conflicts, EWER champions show the power of locally led peacebuilding and the importance of solidarity between communities, authorities and international partners in advancing lasting peace and justice.
Mama Amina Ismail Omar: standing against harmful practices in Dhobley
In the Danwadag internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Dhobley, Mama Amina Ismail Omar, 60, has long supported vulnerable families. But after receiving EWER training from SWSC and Saferworld, her informal efforts evolved into structured community protection leadership.
EWER champions like Mama Amina are trained to identify early warning indicators such as increased violence against women and girls; communities mobilising or arming themselves; the build-up of arms or activity; the increased presence of security forces; and the increased frequency or size of protests, demonstrations or community grievances.
“Before I joined the EWER champions, I was just helping vulnerable families. Now, I can identify all early warning indicators beyond the incidences of female genital mutilation, child labour, domestic violence, or disability rights that I see in my support work, and raise alarms”.
Her door-to-door campaigns, partnerships with religious leaders and public advocacy have led to a shift in community attitudes in Dhobley. Female genital mutilation is now widely rejected, survivors of domestic violence are being referred to services, and marginalised groups, people with disabilities, women and minority clans are actively included in community decision-making and aid distribution.
Education for protection in Kismayo
In Kismayo’s IDP camps and Qur’anic schools, Hani Ahmed Ibrahim, 27, is promoting awareness of gender-based violence (GBV), bodily autonomy, hygiene, and climate-related risks. Trained as an EWER champion by SWSC, she leads inclusive sessions with both men and women, encouraging boys to challenge harmful norms and become allies in GBV prevention.
Her calm intervention in a 2025 incident involving a threat on social media to publicly humiliate a woman in Farjano (stemming from a misunderstanding over unpaid beauty services) helped de-escalate tensions and restore dignity. Working with the woman’s family, elders and authorities, she prevented what could have become a public crisis in her community. Hani continues to advocate for the integration of digital tools to strengthen GBV early warning systems and supports survivors one-on-one through trusted referrals.
Transforming traditions through inclusion in action in Hudur
In Hudur, women's exclusion from formal peace structures is common. But when BAYWAN, in partnership with Saferworld, introduced the EWER system in Hudur and trained 25 community champions in gender-sensitive conflict analysis, women began taking a leading role in conflict resolution.
Seven women champions identified a long-standing dispute between the Malmay and Miiris sub-clans and brought structured conflict reports to community elders. Initially, there was resistance: “I thought: ‘What could these women possibly add to a process we’ve led all our lives?’” says Sheikh Ali Adan Ibrahim, a community elder. “But they surprised us. They knew who was involved, what triggered it, and even how former resolutions had failed.”
Together, the elders and women crafted a community-led resolution, signed a Memorandum of Understanding and committed to the inclusion of women in elder-led formal peacebuilding committees. Since then, the same coalition has mediated domestic violence cases and inter-agency disputes. Sheikh Ali Adan Ibrahim continues: “Now, we don’t just consult women – we sit with them as equals in reconciliation meetings. They’ve brought solutions we hadn’t thought of.”
“It wasn’t outsiders forcing us,” says Ali Adan, a community elder. “It was our own daughters and wives saying, ‘Let us help you.’ That made all the difference.”
Traditionally, peacebuilding committees consisted exclusively of men with no involvement from women. As a result of the persistent advocacy of women, supported by Saferworld and partners SWSC and BAYWAN, male elders have now accepted the inclusion of women within formal peacebuilding structures – a major shift in local peacebuilding approaches. Today, Hudur’s peacebuilding model is more inclusive and effective, better reflecting the community’s needs, and bringing women’s voices, insights and leadership to the table.
Adan Ali Adan, Baidoa Deputy District Commissioner on Social Affairs. (Ahmed Fais / Saferworld)
Justice and sustainability at the local level
In Kismayo and the wider Jubaland region, survivors of violence and people who are displaced often face enormous barriers in accessing justice. Lawyer Awil Abdiweli Mohamed, 31, is changing that.
As an EWER champion and legal officer under the Ministry of Gender, Family Affairs and Human Rights, he offers pro bono legal services, particularly to women and marginalised groups. He also leads public education sessions on legal rights under Somali and Jubaland law, helping communities understand and trust formal justice systems.
“In 2021, members of the Presidential Guard took my land. After long clan discussions failed, I took the case to the First Instance Court on 7 August 2024. Awil supported me throughout the proceedings and even helped me enforce the court’s judgment”, says Maxamuud Cabdullahi Maxamed, a resident in Kismayo.
“On 29 October 2024, the wife of the man I bought land from, together with armed men, tried to seize my property. I filed a complaint at the police station, and the case was referred to court. Awil provided me with legal assistance and guided me under Sharia law until I regained my land,” explains Ambiya Maadey Abdi, an IDP resident in Kismayo.
“After my son was electrocuted to death, the house owners tried to deny responsibility. I went to the First Instance Court of Kismayo District, and lawyer Awil Cabdiwali Maxamed stood by me, guided me, and supported me until I obtained my civil rights,” says Muunya Sharif Manabaaji, a resident in Kismayo from a minority group.
Awil’s efforts have made justice more responsive and accessible, improving referrals and building links between EWER champions and legal support. More people now report incidents early, helping to resolve disputes lawfully and reducing the risk of escalation.
Environmental peacebuilding in Dhobley
In Dhobley’s Waberi area, environmental degradation caused by charcoal burning and deforestation has contributed to displacement, soil erosion and resource-based tensions. Siyad Mohamed Dool, an EWER field monitor and member of the Daryel Nature Conservation Organisation, is leading a grassroots environmental campaign.
His message – ‘One tree for three’ – encourages people to plant three new trees for every one they cut. Siyad has led the planting of over 500 trees, educated community members on climate resilience, and reported environmental violations to local authorities.
As well as his work as an EWER field monitor tracking conflict and GBV, Siyad has reported numerous cases of environmental violations to local authorities, holding individuals to account for harmful practices such as illegal deforestation. Environmental degradation is a critical issue that disrupts community peace and which can trigger displacement, thereby increasing the risks of conflict and GBV.
Siyad’s efforts underscore the interlinked drivers of conflict within communities, and the need for holistic and adaptive responses. His work has reshaped community attitudes and brought youth and women into local conservation efforts.
Mohamed Abdulahi from BAYWAN at the site of a conservation project. (Ahmed Fais / Saferworld)
Building peace through solidarity and local leadership
The stories of Mama Amina, Hani, Awil, Siyad and the Hudur EWER champions show how inclusive, locally led approaches build stronger, more resilient communities. They offer insights for local authorities, government ministries, women’s rights organisations, civil society organisations and elder-led formal peacebuilding communities working on peace and protection:
- Trust local leadership: Sustainable change comes from people rooted in their communities.
- Support inclusive systems: Women and young people are critical peacebuilders – they are not just participants, but leaders.
- Bridge traditional and formal mechanisms: Combining local knowledge with legal tools strengthens conflict prevention and justice.
- Recognise interconnected risks: GBV, environmental harm and social exclusion often feed one another.
- Act in solidarity: Peace must be nurtured across all levels – locally, nationally and internationally.
In Somalia, peace is not just built in boardrooms. It grows in classrooms, camp committees, clan meetings, courtrooms and conversations between neighbours. With support from our partners BAYWAN and SWSC through training, mentoring and tools like early warning systems, communities have increased their capacity to detect and prevent violence, challenge exclusion, shift harmful norms, and influence formal systems of justice and governance. As a result, peace and protection mechanisms are more inclusive, conflict resolution is more effective, and marginalised voices are helping shape decisions that affect their safety. The EWER champions are helping to reimagine what peace looks like. Their efforts demonstrate that sustainable peace is achieved through inclusive participation, respect for tradition coupled with innovation, and solidarity that transcends social and geographical boundaries. By supporting and amplifying locally led initiatives and voices, we can help support Somali leaders to build a more just and peaceful future for Somalia.
Learn more about our work in Somalia.
Find out more about our early warning, early response (EWER) project.