Somalilandsun – Haqsoor for Peace, Human Rights, Environment and Sustainable Development (LNGO in Somaliland) in cooperation with Africa Contact (AK, Danish NGO) held two days workshop for 60 young participants from the community in Burao (10th-11th Sept). In line with a new project the two partners are cooperating upon . The workshop focused on empowering youth i
ntegrating them in the democratic processes through capacity building in enhancing of the youth and marginalized groups and encourages their participation in the locally existing political structures and promoting basic rights of the target group.
The Deputy Mayor of Burao Mr. Muhumed Hassan Jama (Xoday) attended in the opening of the workshop and appreciated the SYEIP Project intervention in building capacity and unity of the youth in Burao. The Mayor particularly emphasized importance of the community member based initiative which is supporting integrating, networking and collective thinking of the youth; and addressing menace and effect of tribalism on the other hand.
Representatives of Africa Contact, Ms Mathilde Krabbe Krogholt and Ms Signe Eberhard speaking on behalf of AK in Denmark attended in the opening and stated they came to witness start of the project and for the support of Somaliland youth.
The Somaliland Youth Empowerment Project (SYEIP) aims to enhance capacity of the youth and the marginalized groups including women through improving awareness and knowledge of the basic human rights, participation in the political processes and decision making, citizenship, conflict resolution skills.
For this, the SYEIP Project intends to introduce the concept of member based nongoverental organizations where a large number of young and women are members of and at the same time all feel ownership as well as the rights and responsibilities they hold within the democratic structure of the organization. This project is expected to improve community participation in general and educating the public in the civic knowledge.
Haqsoor has conducted the first youth forum in Burao where 60 participants from the different districts, villages and different schools and social institutions and were trained in the system of member based organization and the democratic organization, human rights, public speaking, leadership, conflict resolution and peace-building skills including the traditional norms/style in resolving conflicts in Somaliland. Within the SYEIP, 120 young people will be trained in the MBO system and youth empowerment relevant subjects to enable transformation of Haqsoor into member based organization and with the membership of these young members and more a number from other regions in the near future.
One of the noteworthy lesson learnt of the workshop in the two days workshop; was the challenge against the youth in the political participation identified by a member of Burao City Local Council, Mr. Nuh Mohamed Hussein Dhere who as a youth role model for the workshop pointed out that every young and or adult candidate has to burden huge money during the campaign. The councillor underlined that such expensive campaign is not only challenge to the ambitious youth but also leading to corruption for every local councillor and MP who may get in debt and owe eighty thousand or more to individuals. Mr. Hussein Dhere suggested Somaliland government and the public to reconsider the issue as both local and parliamentary elections will come and constitutional.
Source: Haqsoor Organization
