IIDA Women's Development Organisation (IIDA) is a

non-governmental organisation A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

founded in

Mogadishu Mogadishu, locally known as Xamar or Hamar, is the capital and List of cities in Somalia by population, most populous city of Somalia. The city has served as an important port connecting traders across the Indian Ocean for millennia and has ...

Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...

by a group of Somali women leaders to provide relief and emergency services to women and children affected by the civil war in Somalia. Over the years, IIDA has evolved to focus on policy development and strengthening accountability of government institutions. The organisation advocates for the rights of vulnerable children, youth, and women; and promotes peace among communities.

Establishment

The IIDA Women's Development Organisation

NGO A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

was founded in

on 25 May 1991 by a group of Somali women activists led by the sisters Halima and Starlin Arush. Halima Arush was a former education inspector whose husband had been killed during the

civil war A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

in Somalia. The organisation's aim was to create an interface organization enabling action in favour of peacebuilding, humanitarianism and women's rights. The word ''iida'' in the

Somali language Somali is an Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language belonging to the Cushitic languages, Cushitic branch, primarily spoken by the Somalis, Somali people, native to Greater Somalia. It is an official language in Somalia, Somaliland, and Ethio ...

means "woman born on a feast day". It was chosen by the late Amina Abdullahi Haji Fiqow,K. Maier, ''Fresh start for Somalia's children: the reopening of elementary schools provides hope for the future. Karl Maier reports from Mogadishu'', article du journal ''The Independent'', 7 janvier 199

a Somali human rights activist.

Mission

To advocate for the socio-economic rights of vulnerable children, youth, and women, promote peace among warring communities, and foster their integration into society. We work towards non-violent conflict resolution, policy formulation and implementation, women empowerment, transparency and accountability, high standards of service delivery, education, economic self-sustenance, and improvement of health. We conduct research, defend rights, reduce mortality rate, establish partnerships, and mobilize communities towards gender equality, human rights, peace, development, and reconciliation

Offices

IIDA is currently maintains three branches in Somalia (Mogadishu,

Merca Merca (, ) is the capital city of the Lower Shebelle province of Somalia, a historic port city in the region. It is located approximately to the southwest of the nation's capital Mogadishu. Merca is the traditional home territory of the Bimal c ...

Dhusamareb Dusmareb (, , ) is the capital of Galmudug state in central Somalia. The city also serves as the administrative capital of the Galguduud province. Historically, the city was known as Daar Dheer or simply Dardher but later in time the city's name ...

). It also has an office one in

Nairobi Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

(since December 2007), and one in

Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Main projects

IIDA's main projects encompass peacebuilding, active citizenship for women, and other initiatives in the education, health and economy sectors. Projects have included: *Reestablishing and operating in collaboration with the Italian NGO CISP the maternity hospital of Forlanini Hospital in Mogadishu, and providing trained to medical personnel. *Disarmament of 150 irregular youth soldiers in the Merca area. *Women's empowerment projects implemented via the Somali Women Agenda. The platform brings together 16 women's associations and other individual members from all regions of Somalia, and draws a real program priorities, strategies and actions for the peace process and societal reconstruction. These last two initiatives were implemented in collaboration with the Italian NGO COSPE.

''Tahrib'' newsletter

Since June 2008, IIDA Italia has published ''Tahrib'', an online newsletter aimed at raising awareness on the sociopolitical situation in Somalia. Contributors to the newsletter include Somalian MP Maryan Shekh Osman, President of the Italian section of the

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) is a non-profit non-governmental organization working "to bring together women of different political views and philosophical and religious backgrounds determined to study and make kno ...

Giovanna Pagani Giovanna is an Italian feminine first name. It is the feminine counterpart of the masculine Giovanni, which in turn is the Italian form of John; it is thus the Italian equivalent of Joan, etc. In Brazil, the feminine name Giovanna has many vari ...

, and journalist Kenneth Oduor.

Awards

IIDA has received various international awards for its peacebuilding,

human rights and development Development is a human right that belongs to everyone, individually and collectively. Everyone is “entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamenta ...

work: *

UNIFEM The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM, , ) was established in December 1976 originally as the Voluntary Fund for the United Nations Decade for Women in the International Women's Year. Its first director was Margaret C. Snyder. U ...

Global Award 1996, awarded by

Boutros Boutros-Ghali Boutros Boutros-Ghali (14 November 1922 – 16 February 2016) was an Egyptian politician and diplomat who served as the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1992 to 1996. Prior to his appointment as secretary-general, Boutros-Gha ...

, then

Secretary General of the United Nations The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or UNSECGEN) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the United Nations System#Six principal organs, six principal organs of ...

, in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

on 26 October 1996 at the occasion of the 20th anniversary of UNIFEM; *Prize for Human Rights of the French Republic, awarded in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

on 10 décembre 2008 on the 60th anniversary of the adoption of

the Universal Declaration of Human Rights The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is an international document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly that enshrines the rights and freedoms of all human beings. Drafted by a UN committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, ...

Memberships

IIDA is a member of the following networks: *Eastern African Sub-regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI) *Fédération des Femmes Africaines pour la Paix (FERFAP) *Network of Women from the Mediterranean, the East and the South of Europe (Network Women)

References

External links

* *Debra M. Timmon
The Sixth Clan-Women Organize For Peace in Somalia, A Review of Published Literature
published in 2004 by

University for Peace The University for Peace (UPEACE) is an international university and intergovernmental organization established as a treaty organisation by the United Nations General Assembly in 1980. The university offers postgraduate, doctoral, and executive ...

{{Authority control Human rights organisations based in Somalia Organizations established in 1991 Women's organisations based in Somalia 1991 establishments in Somalia