Context
Somalia’s persistent political and economic instability limits women’s opportunities for equal participation. Women are disproportionately affected by poverty, insecurity, and male-dominated clan structures, which restrict their access to economic and social participation. Conflicts, droughts, and famines have further increased structural violence and abuse of women. Additionally, 99.2 per cent of all women between the ages of 15 and 49 have endured female genital mutilation.
Female entrepreneurship exists in Kismayo and Baidoa but is often dependent on short-term humanitarian support. Women also face barriers such as limited access to finance, training, and market information within male-dominated systems.
Objective
The economic participation of women in Kismayo and Baidoa, Somalia has increased.
Approach
The project enhances economic opportunities for women in Kismayo and Baidoa through targeted measures. It:
• Develops entrepreneurial skills by providing training on resilience, coaching, and mentoring to equip local trainers with the tools to support women entrepreneurs in growing their businesses;
• Enhances the expertise of civil society, state, and private industry organisations to better support small and medium-sized enterprises;
• Establishes two exchange forums to improve coordination among stakeholders in Kismayo and Baidoa;
• Develops gender-specific support services to provide tailored assistance for women entrepreneurs;
• Promotes long-term business models for women and conducts awareness campaigns to highlight and disseminate the success stories of businesswomen.
Last Update: May 2025