Democracy and Human Rights Fund Grantee

November 2011

SONYO hosting a public debate on a law prohibiting candidates under the age of 35 from municipal level elections. SONYO sucessfully lobbied 19 MPs to table a parliamentary motion to amend the law; on October 24, Parliament changed the age to 25.

Text of a Shaqodoon-created billboard explaining to Somalilanders how they can participate in citizen reporting during the local council election

About the Democracy and Human Rights Fund

The Democracy and Human Rights Fund (DHRF) for Somalia is one of the programs used by the United States government to promote and defend civil and political rights, strengthen democratic and civil society, and foster democratic values and practices in sub-Saharan Africa.  The Fund provides grants to indigenous organizations for small, focused, high-impact, and short-term (one year) activities that promote or defend democratic institutions, civil society, an independent judiciary, free and fair electoral processes, freedom of religion, and human rights.

Applying for the DHRF

The Somalia Unit’s Democracy and Human Rights Fund Office located at US Embassy Nairobi accepts applications on a rolling-basis. Please send an email to SSHFSomalia@state.gov to receive application materials and guidelines. Please note that the deadline for applications for FY 2011 is December 31, 2011.

DHRF Grantee for Fiscal Year 2012

Puntland Development Research Center (PDRC) is a local non-governmental organization operating in Puntland State, Somalia dedicated to peace building, the promotion of democracy, and respect for human rights.  PDRC will use DHRF funds to conduct civic education and voter awareness campaigns through local media, including televised expert panel discussions on radio and TV talk shows, and Somali poets and artists.  These campaigns will contribute directly to Puntland’s 2013 local council and parliamentary elections which are part of the Federal Republic of Somalia’s broader democratic reform.

Grantees for Fiscal Year 2011

Shaqodoon (“jobseekers” in the Somali language) is a local nonprofit organization with a presence in Somaliland, Puntland, Galmuduug, and South Central Somalia.  It seeks to design, deliver, and evaluate innovative programs to address challenges in livelihood, skills training, education, and health, among other pertinent issues.   The organization is the upshot of the Somali Youth Livelihoods Program (SYLP) supported by EDC with funds from USAID that provided opportunities to access work, training, internships, and self-employment opportunities  for youth.  Shaqodoon’s DHRF project empowers citizens to report polling station conditions during Somaliland’s local council election in November 2012 and to discourage electoral fraud and manipulation.  Citizens will be able to send in their feedback via SMS to dedicated mobile phone network lines.  Staff and volunteers recruited by Shaqodoon will then collate the feedback and produce a lessons learned tool for the Somaliland Electoral Commission to use in preparing for parliamentary (tentatively scheduled for mid 2013) and presidential elections.

Grantees for Fiscal Year 2010

Somali Rehabilitation and Development Agency (SORDA)

SORDA is a local non-governmental, non-political and non-profit organization established in 1993 which seeks to improve the livelihoods of Somali citizens through the provision of social services.  SORDA’s DHRF project will focus on ending Violence against Women (VAW) via a behavior change in men, brought about by integrated collaboration among stakeholders in the Galmuduug region, including lawmakers, civil-society groups, and specialized groups i.e. legal professionals, religious leaders, youth, and district-level community leaders.

Somaliland National Youth Organization, SONYO Umbrella

SONYO Umbrella was established in 2003 and has a membership of 55 youth organizations from the six regions of Somaliland. SONYO is committed to the advocacy, development, capacity building, mobilization, and coordination of Somaliland youth. Its DHRF project, “Strengthening Youth Participation in Political Parties for Greater Democratic Practice in Somaliland,” seeks to foster greater youth participation and engagement in the three provisional Somaliland political parties. SONYO will enhance youth skills and knowledge on their rights and roles in party politics through capacity building and sensitization workshops and the establishment of Youth Help Desks in Hargeisa, Burao and Boroma.

The Following Are Not Currently Considered for Funding

The DHRF does not fund on-going, multi-year activities or long term institutional capacity building. It does not support development oriented projects, humanitarian assistance, or the promotion of rights described in the United Nation’s international covenant on Social, Economic, and Cultural Rights. Additionally, DHRF cannot support:

• Use of funds to influence the outcome of elections
• Training (including civic and human rights education), advice, or financial support for law enforcement forces, prisons, military or intelligence agencies.
• Funding the activity of any government agency other than a recognized, independent National Electoral or Human Rights Commission where other funds are not available.
• Funding government delegations to attend international conferences under the auspices multilateral or international organizations.
• Building construction, vehicle purchase, long-term (12 months or more), recurring administrative costs, such as building or equipment maintenance, rent, office supplies, or administrative salaries.
• Travel outside of the immediate region, conference or workshops that lack a specific clearly and articulated goal.
• Research project without a results-oriented component.
• Projects in support of economic empowerment, humanitarian assistance or support for refugees (unless human rights related).

SONYO staff celebrating with other youth groups and activists after parliament overwhelmingly voted for the amendment of law number 20 on October 24, 2011 after nineteen MPs proposed a motion submitted by SONYO Umbrella a week ago.