Towards a Gender Equal World: the EU Gender Action Plan III

• Gender marker: G1-Promotes gender equality as a significant objective

• Period of implementation: 2020 - 2023

• Amount: EUR 6,000,000

• Geographical area: Sub-Saharan Africa

• Implementing partners: United Population Fund UNFPA  

• Link to the project: 

  • https://www.facebook.com/DalbileYouth/

  • https://twitter.com/DalbileYouth

• GAP III’s Areas: 

  • Sexual and reproductive health and rights

  • Economic and social empowerment

  • Equal participation and leadership

Young people, both men and women, face significant challenges in Somalia. Years of strife have damaged their opportunities, social support structures, and the overall ability of youth to build up both the country and secure social and economic stability in their own lives. Improved socio-economic opportunities can facilitate stability in the country, and this EU-led project aims to achieve this through peacebuilding, skills development, income generation, entrepreneurship, sports and cultural events.  

In conjunction with UNFPA, the Accelerated Socio-Economic Empowerment of Youth in Somalia programme seeks to ensure that youth have access to safe spaces where they can realise their full potential as productive and independent agents of positive change. While this action is not a Team Europe Initiative, the Netherlands joined the EU in co-funding it in 2022. 

Due to discriminatory policies and gender bias, access to finance is hard for all entrepreneurs in Somalia, particularly young women. To address this situation, the project includes explicit women-led business initiatives and a component that mentors aspiring young women in business and life skills. 

Local economies will be revitalised and expanded with livelihood enhancement, job creation, and broad-based inclusive growth, with a particular focus on opportunities for women, including those from marginalised communities such as IDPs and minorities. The implementing partners support and accelerate youth and women's business start-ups through grants, establish a youth fund mechanism, and mentor promising start-ups. 

The approach also includes trainings, meetings, and other “boot camps” spreading knowledge across key areas, such as sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender equality. These aim to foster the important role that young people can play as positive role models in preventing and countering violent extremism. They empower young women to stand up for themselves and their rights and change perceptions about young women's ability to work – both with gender-transformative results. 

On a wider, societal level, the programme tries to build up capacities via actions like developing and adopting the new National Youth Policy, and fostering civic engagement through targeted external communication. 

Finally, it aims to increase youth participation in public policy formulation and decision-making at national, local and community levels across the humanitarian, development and peace nexus to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. 

“I want Hiil Dumar Cafeteria to be in every region in Somalia. I want women to feel safe, have their own spaces and contribute to the available spaces for them”. Hibo, a 22-year-old widowed mother of four, living in an IDP camp in Kismayo who accessed to the Dalbile Youth Fund.