UNICEF Monthly Review June 2003

Flight ban affects Contents… A fact finding mission comprising humanitarian representatives of the African Union, Flight ban and IGAD operations… the Inter-Governmental Authority on talks…1 Development (IGAD) and Arab countries visited Somalia to assess the Political and security The Government of Kenya announced a update…2 ban on flights to and from Somalia on 21 security situation and recommended the deployment of peace-keeping June 2003, citing concerns for possible Programme troops in the country. The mission also terrorist related activities. As a result of Updates… the ban, UN and European Community urged the international community to put more pressure on participants in Humanitarian Organization (ECHO) Health … 4 flight operations for Somalia that are the ongoing Somali National Peace and based in Nairobi were grounded. The Reconciliation Conference in Kenya to Nutrition… 5 UN continued to make diplomatic efforts agree on a broad-based government. to have the issue resolved. (Editors The mission was led by Major-General Water and note: The ban was lifted on July 5, Joseph Musomba of Kenya with some Environmental 2003) 21 members. Sanitation…. 5 Education… 6 Due to the prevailing instability and lack In Mogadishu, Abdinur Darman was endorsed by his supporters to stand for of central government in Somalia, most Youth…7 UN agencies and NGOs have their main President of Somalia when elections bases of operation in Nairobi. The flights are held. Various personalities in HIV/AIDS…7 are the lifeblood of their operations Somalia have indicated interest in the bringing in personnel and vital supplies. Presidency in anticipation of elections Child Protection… 8 being held in the future. In Kismayo, President Abdiqassim Salad Hassan of southern Somalia, Mogadishu-based Special Interest… the Transitional National Government faction leader Osman Ali Hassan 'Atto' (TNG) of Somalia had appealed to the and the Deputy Chairman of the Gender… 3 government of Kenya to lift the ban. Rahanweyn Resistance Army (RRA) based in Baidoa, Mr Ibrahim Habsade, Emergency held talks with representatives of the Preparedness ..as IGAD peace talks Jubba. Valley Alliance which controls Training…3 Kismayo. The talks centred on issues continue… DAC Pictorial…4 The Somali National Peace and related to the ongoing peace talks in Kenya. Reconciliation Conference in Kenya was Advocacy Film in the extended after the deadline set for the Works…5 establishment of a government and for the election of a president passed in Day of the African mid-June. A dispute over the number of Child…8 parliamentarians for a future Somalia created a deadlock in the process. UNICEF Somalia Monthly Review 2

The chairman of the Somali Patriotic Central and Southern Somalia was Movement (SPM) Gen Aden Gabyow markedly different. Fighting in the UNICEF who was one of the participants at the Medina district of Mogadishu between Operational peace talks, died in Nairobi and was militia loyal to Muse Sudi Yalahow and transported back to southern Somalia his rival Umar Mohamed “Finish” Areas… for burial. He was buried near the village claimed the lives of 10 people including of Bua'le. The late Gabyow served as a brother to Muse Sudi. The cause of Minister of Defence during the Siad the fighting is yet unclear, however the Northwest Zone – Barre regime. two rivals who are from the same sub- Hargeisa Office clan have been fighting for control of Awdal the district since Umar Finish defected Political and security West Galbeed from the Muse faction last year. update Togdheer Sahil A heavy explosion was reported in Sool Following mediation by elders and Mogadishu at the former Presidential Sanaag religious leaders in Northwest Somalia Palace (Villa Somalia) currently a base ('Somaliland'), the main opposition party for the Hussein Mohamed Aideed Kulmiye, officially accepted the results faction. According to sources close to Northeast Zone – of 'Somaliland's presidential election as the area, the explosion was caused by Bossaso Office per the decision of the Supreme Court a round fired from a heavy gun which upheld the results of the elections following a dispute. At least two people Bari held in April 2003 that declared the died and 10 others were wounded in Nugal incumbent Dahir Riyale Kahin of the the explosion. It was reportedly the Unity of Democrats (UDUB) party the largest explosion to occur in Mogadishu winner. since the collapse of the Siad Barre regime. It caused many families to flee Central and Following earlier reconciliation moves, from their residences, especially in Southern Zone – President Abdullahi Yusuf of Puntland Bondere and Wardhigley districts. Baidoa, Jowhar, announced a cabinet incorporating Mogadishu and representatives allied to General Adde In Baidoa, three teenage school girls Kismayo Offices Muse who was allied to his rival Jama were killed on 18 June, apparently in a Ali Jama. retaliatory killing. UNICEF issued a Galgaduud statement condemning the killings and Hiran The security situation in Somaliland and the increased targeting of children Northeast Somalia ('Puntland') was through violent acts. A week earlier on relatively calm, save for an incident in in June 11, bandits had commandeered a Benadir Gardho, Puntland, in which clashes school bus in Mogadishu which left between rival miltia resulted in three three children slightly wounded. people killed and two girls wounded in cross fire. Bay UNICEF Somalia Monthly Review 3

Baidoa was host to the main UNICEF Some six people suspected of office in Central and Southern Somalia involvement in robbery and looting of Emergency until July 2002 when conflict broke out vehicles on the main road between Preparedness between members of the Rahanweyn Beled Weyne and Bulo Burte were and Response Resistance Army (RRA) that controlled arrested by the local Islamic Court after training for the town. This led to intense inter-clan a gun-fight. One Islamic Court UNICEF staff… fighting and insecurity in Baidoa and militiaman died and two bandits were surrounding areas. It currently serves injured in the incident. Clan elders later To enhance the as a UNICEF liaison office and is run by met in Beled Weyne to discuss how the capacity of UNICEF a minimal presence of Somali national Islamic Court could deal with rising staff, a National staff. insecurity. Emergency Preparedness and The security situation in Middle Shabelle In Abudwak district of Galgadud region, Response planning region to the north of Mogadishu was fighting intensified between rival clans. workshop was held fluid as tension over control of parts of Galgadud borders Middle Shabelle to for international and the region heightened between militia the north. The fighting broke out national staff based allied to rivals Mohammed Dhere and following a retaliatory killing and has so in Nairobi and others Muse Sudi. The situation calmed after far claimed more than 25 lives, of which from the rest of Somalia. It was held talks between the two leaders. the latest was a participant in a youth in Hargeisa, However, travel along the main road Leadership and Organizational Northwest Somalia. linking Mogadishu to Jowhar was Development (LOD) training in Belet suspended for UN staff due to Weyne. The participant was on his way insecurity. In a clamp down on banditry, back to Abudwak. Due to the fighting, four people were arrested by the forces families fled to areas around of Muse Sudi after looting attacks on Dhusamareb. civilians aboard mini-buses. In Kismayo, three civilians were killed In the same region, fighting broke out in in banditry incidents. The victims were El-dhere village between rival militia a car-washer, an electrician and a after one group attempted to wrest farmer. In a separate incident, some control of the village from the other. militia complaining over unpaid salary About 10 people were killed in the arrears blocked the road from Kismayo fighting and many families forced to flee town to the airport. Following mediation to surrounding areas. In Hiran region, an by the Jubba Valley Alliance, the issue increase in illegal roadblocks, banditry was resolved. Save for the killings and and other criminal acts was reported. the militia incident, the situation in Kismayo and its environs was relatively calm.

GENDER: A workshop to discuss various issues related to gender was held in Hargeisa. The forum was attended by 40 people from the local administration and civil society. The workshop discussed ways in which to provide more information about gender and equality. At the end of the workshop, the participants formed a gender committee for Galbeed region. The members are four women and three men. The committee elected the headmistress of one of Hargeisa's main schools as chairperson and has an MP and journalist among its officials. UNICEF Somalia Monthly Review 4

Day of the African Health programme regions of Puntland through local Child pictorial authorities and SRCS. highlights In Central and Southern Somalia, UNICEF organized a workshop in UNICEF distributed supplies for Burao, Somaliland, to sensitize health ongoing immunization activities to workers and dispel misconceptions on Beled Weyne, Wajid, Kismayo, issues related to immunization of Jamame, Shibis, Waberi, Tieglow, Luq, children and women. Some 25 people Jowhar and Wardhigley districts. In including physicians and nurses from other activities in support of EPI, both the private and public sector UNICEF conducted training for 181 A girl and boy below keenly watch participated. health workers from partner organisations and the community in the performance by acrobats at Day of Expanded Programme on Immunization Tieglow and Bulo Hawa. The trainees the African Child (EPI) campaigns were conducted in the included vaccinators, registrars, team celebrations in five regional capitals of Somaliland. It leaders, social mobilisers and Burao, Northwest supervisors for EPI activities in the two Somalia on June took the combined effort of 77 16, 2003 immunization teams to see the districts. campaign through, resulting in about 39,000 children aged under five years A cholera outbreak occurred in and 11,000 women of child-bearing age Puntland. Initial diarrhoea cases were being immunized. During the reported from Askar Internally campaigns, iron-cum-folic acid tablets Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in were distributed to women of child- Bossaso on 30 May, 2003 and cholera bearing age for the prevention of was confirmed in some five out of nine anaemia. specimens collected by WHO on June 9. Other cases were confirmed in In Puntland, EPI activities started in Gara'ad, Jirriban district and Galkaio Bossaso town in the last week of May town of Mudug region. In response to and concluded on 18 June. A set back the outbreak in Bossaso, UNICEF during the exercise was an attack by trained some 90 youth volunteers who bandits on a vehicle carrying disseminated messages on prevention vaccinators two of whom were measures to mosques and Koranic wounded. The attackers stole EPI schools. The messages provided supplies and vaccines which were later guidance in the preparation and use of recovered through the intervention of oral rehydration salts (ORS) at community elders. UNICEF distributed household level. UNICEF also initiated essential drugs and EPI supplies to local social mobilization and health authorities, Somalia Red Crescent education activities and supplied Society (SRCS) and Medecins Sans chlorine for treatment of drinking water. Frontieres (MSF). Some 1000 clean Print and electronic media were used to delivery kits were distributed to Maternal disseminate appropriate messages to and Child Health (MCH) centres and raise awareness on prevention and out-patient dispensaries in the three control measures. The Puntland administration set up a cholera task Photos: Giacomo Pirozzi, UNICEF UNICEF Somalia Monthly Review 5

force to lead in control and prevention In Lower Shabelle, UNICEF has measures. introduced cookery demonstrations to Advocacy film be carried out as part of health and in the works…. In Somaliland, some 20 midwives from nutrition education activities through Galbeed region were trained in life Qorioley and Wanlaweyne maternal UNICEF facilitated saving skills at the Edna Adan Hospital and child health centres. the visit by a film in Hargeisa. UNICEF provided support crew to Somaliland and for another one-week refresher training Water and Environmental Beled Weyne in course for 20 traditional birth attendants Central Somalia. from Hargeisa town at the hospital. Sanitation update During their seven- Some further 40 midwives and nurses day visit, the film from health centres in Awdal and Sool The expansion of Boon mini-water crew and UNICEF regions were also trained in project in Somaliland was completed staff managed to undertake in depth breastfeeding promotion and lactation increasing access to safe water for the management. interviews with Boon community and greatly reducing youth including the burden of long distances walked by those participating Nutrition programme girls and women to draw water. In in Day of the update Gardo, Puntland, test-pumping to African Child ascertain the efficiency of the Gardo celebrations in water project's 22 km pipe system and Burao and others UNICEF in collaboration with HEAL elevated water reservoir was in Beled Weyne NGO produced the third issue of a bi- completed. Installation of equipment for who were monthly nutrition/breastfeeding participating in a two borewells was undertaken. The newsletter. Some 1000 copies were Leadership and rehabilitation of office works for the distributed to health workers and Organizational Garowe Water Project continued during women's groups in Somaliland. The Development the reporting period. The installation of newsletter aims to update health training. The film pipe network and construction of a tank workers and women's groups on the crew also to serve the project is expected to start interviewed latest information available on nutrition soon. Supplies for construction works participants and breastfeeding. including pipes, fittings and tank attending Non- accessories are already in Garowe. formal Education In Central and Southern Somalia, training, young UNICEF undertook growth monitoring businesswomen in In Central and Southern Somalia, and supplementary feeding activities in the market and UNICEF rehabilitated borewells and Baidoa, Dinsor, Qansadhere and children who are associated works in Dhurwale and Bardale districts of Bay region. beneficiaries of a Fidow villages in . library supported Rehabilitation works were also carried Similar activities were carried out in by UNICEF. A short out on 15 hand-dug wells, hand-pumps, advocacy video will Gedo region. UNICEF also undertook and animal troughs in Sakow and be the final product an assessment of the supplementary Bu’ale districts in Middle Jubba while from the crew's feeding programme run by International pipes were laid for water supply from visit and will be Medical Corps (IMC) with supplies from Laheley and Abdi-dhore borewells in used for advocacy UNICEF and WFP. work for UNICEF, . especially with external audiences such as UNICEF National Committees and donors. UNICEF Somalia Monthly Review 6

The setting up of a private management Education highlights firm for the Borama Water Project in Somaliland continued with shareholding Some 212 teachers in Somaliland by 19 members endorsed. The undertook in-service training in the new members of the proposed company held curriculum. The training for the their first meeting and reviewed their teachers who are from newly opened articles of association. In Puntland, schools in Togdheer, Hargeisa and UNICEF and the local administration Awdal regions took place in Borama. organized a 12-day workshop on pump Training of 56 non-formal education repair and advanced maintenance of teachers took place in Kismayo, water facilities. A total of 10 participants southern Somalia, for participants from participated in the training. In Central Benadir, Lower Shabelle, Middle Jubba and Southern Somalia, UNICEF trained and Lower Jubba regions. Another 40 participants in hand-pump training session for 68 participants from maintenance and water sanitation and Benadir, Galgadud, Hiran and Middle hygiene issues. The training took place Shabelle regions started in Beled in Brava town. Also trained were 22 Weyne. Non-formal education materials members of water committees were distributed to the trainees. comprising an equal number of men and women from . UNICEF in collaboration with the Somaliland Ministry of Youth and UNICEF supported hygiene and Sports organized a meeting to develop garbage disposal services for the Maydh a plan of cooperation between the community in Somaliland by donating ministry and youth organizations. The two donkey carts and funding the meeting was held in Hargeisa on 23 excavation of a dumping site. In Baidoa, and 24 June, 2003. Some 35 in Central Somalia, UNICEF supplied participants from Awdal, Sahil, chlorine for treatment of drinking water Togdheer and Hargeisa regions for cholera prevention and control. attended. Similarly, UNICEF supplied chlorine to MSF Spain in Mogadishu and to UNICEF supported the holding of final Coordinating Committee of the Grade eight examinations in all the six Organization for Voluntary Service regions of Somaliland by funding their (COSV) in Merka. administration and invigilation. UNICEF supplied literacy and numeracy UNICEF sponsored the participation of textbooks and non-formal education the chairman of the Galkayo Water materials to 25 schools in Puntland, Authority of Puntland and the Director four non-formal education/adult General of the water department of education centres in Bossaso, and one Somaliland at a one week international women's education centre in Garowe. seminar on water management in Durban, South Africa. Construction and rehabilitation of six primary schools and three playing grounds in Somaliland progressed smoothly. Three of the schools and the UNICEF Somalia Monthly Review 7

playgrounds are in Hargeisa. The work with AIDS. The meeting also sought to is expected to be completed before the sensitize the leaders about the Publications end of the year. In Central and Southern physical, psychological, mental and coming… Somalia, work continued on the health impact of FGM on girls and rehabilitation of six primary schools in women, and to enlist their support to As part of the the zone. help in the eradication of the practice. process of developing The participants further discussed advocacy and UNICEF concluded the field issues related to gender, child rights publicity materials implementation of the primary school and education from the Somali and on HIV/AIDS and survey. Some 210 schools were Islamic context. Child Protection covered and data compiled sent to issues, a Nairobi for analysis. UNICEF provided support for the researcher/writer holding of two workshops in Hargeisa. and photographer Youth participate in One discussed validation of the visited Somaliland strategic framework developed for the and Central and leadership training prevention and control of HIV/AIDS and Southern Somalia to document sexually transmitted infections in UNICEF Leadership for Organizational Somalia, while the second discussed programmes with Development (LOD) training for 54 drawing up of action points for special focus on youth from 14 youth groups in Bossaso implementation in different zones of HIV/AIDS, female and Non-Formal Education (NFE) Somalia. Both workshops drew genital mutilation training for 55 NFE teachers from participants from all over Somalia. Prior and child protection issues. Bossaso district youth learning and NFE to the meetings, the UNICEF Somalia HIV/AIDS officer held meetings in In Somaliland, they centres was undertaken. Girls made up visited the Borama 65 per cent of those trained. A workshop Hargeisa with staff of UN agencies, international and local NGOs and TB Hospital, Boon on Leadership and Organizational Water Project, Ministries of Health and Religion on Development for 64 youth from Benadir, HAVOYOCO Street Lower Shabelle, Middle Jubba and ways of building partnerships. UNICEF Children’s Lower Jubba regions was held in facilitated participation by NGOs from Programme , Kismayo. Another one for 88 youth from Central and Southern Somalia in the Somaliland Culture Galgadud, Hiran and Middle Shabelle workshops. The strategy development and Sports was held in Belet Weyne. is being coordinated by the Somalia Aid Association Coordination Body (SACB) HIV-AIDS (SOCSA) Non- Working Group co-chaired by UNICEF Formal Education and WHO. and Girls’ Sports HIV/AIDS prevention and Programme, and youth groups. They control… As part of its objective of supporting also attended a HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention A four day consultative meeting on ceremony activities among the youth, UNICEF organized by the HIV/AIDS was held in Gebiley, provided financial and technical support FGM committee of Somaliland, for 35 religious leaders. The to youth groups to produce the first Sahil in Berbera at purpose was to enable the leaders to issue of 'Koor' magazine. As part of the which four discuss the basic facts of HIV/AIDS, and strategy of integrating HIV/AIDS issues traditional to dispel myths about the disease and to into UNICEF programmes, an circumcisers laid learn how to help fight stigmatization orientation session on basic facts about down their tools of and discrimination against people living HIV/AIDS was given to 212 teachers trade. … more Page 8 UNICEF Somalia Monthly Review 8

who were undergoing refresher training In Central and Southern Somalia, a Publications for education activities in Borama. consultative meeting for the coming… dissemination of findings on the child Child Protection protection study which has been In Central and recently completed was held in Merka. Southern Somalia, Update… Some 86 participants took part. Other the duo visited meetings on child protection issues Merka and Beled On 21 and 22 June, UNICEF and Save were held in Belet Weyne and Jowhar. Weyne. The writer the Children - US organized a workshop They drew participants that included and photographer on juvenile justice in Hargeisa. The aim trainers, youth, religious leaders and involved in the was to discuss ways of improving and representatives of women's groups and research were able to get access to strengthening the formal and non-formal the media. communities and juvenile justice system to conform with projects that gave international standards. Participants DAC celebrations… them an idea of included representatives from the UNICEF’s work. The religious sector, international and local UNICEF supported the holding of Day material that will go organizations and members of the into production of a of the African Child (DAC) celebrations judiciary in Somaliland. UNICEF staff publication will be in all zones of Somalia on June 16 from Northeast Somalia also shared with UNICEF 2003. The DAC is marked annually on participated. The participants identified partners and June 16 and was set aside in 1991 by issues that led to children being in communities both in the precursor of the African Union, the conflict with the law and related legal Somalia and Organization of African Unity (OAU), to and institutional problems and possible internationally. mark the beginning of the Soweto solutions. They also discussed ways in which Save the Children US and uprising in South Africa in 1976. This was the date on which the first child UNICEF could strengthen the role of the victim of the uprising, Hector Petersen judiciary, parliament, administration and was killed. civil society in effecting juvenile justice. It commemorates and marks the past In Puntland, UNICEF staff held as well as celebrating Africa's children discussions on child protection issues and their future. UNICEF in with representatives of local NGOs collaboration with partner organizations including We Are Women Activisits supported communities in Burao, (WAWA), Bossaso Social Centre and Somaliland, Garowe, Puntland and Puntland Development Research Jowhar, Middle Shabelle region Centre. Discussions were also held with (Central/Southern Somalia) in businessmen in the zone on how to curb organizing celebrations. Youth groups the problem of glue sniffing among in Hargeisa and Borama as well as children living on the streets. communities in Mogadishu and Kismayo organized celebrations on their own. UNICEF Somalia Monthly Review 9

In the celebrations in Burao, (a three- rounds broadcasting children's songs hour drive) from Hargeisa, the theme for and athletics and football competitions. the celebrations was “Youth: looking to A drama performance by school the future'. Nine youth groups took part children on the plight of children living in the planning and implementation of on the streets in comparison to their the activities. Activities began in Burao better off counterparts was staged in on June 12 and continued until June 16. the evening of the Day. The festivities In the run-up to the Day, social were attended by local leaders, mobilization activities to raise children, youth and women's group awareness of issues crucial to securing representatives, members of the local a good future for children were held. community and representatives of The activities emphasized the international and local organizations importance of girlchild education, raising active in the zone. The participants community awareness on HIV/AIDS, observed a minute's silence for children immunization and improved hand who have died or been killed in Africa washing practices for better hygiene. A through conflict or neglect. debate and poetry competition were among activities organized to highlight In Central and Southern Somalia, the the aforementioned issues. A football highlights of the DAC were in Jowhar. tournament was also staged between They included the screening of a video youth teams and prizes were awarded produced by Horyal Youth at an evening ceremony. Organization. The organization is a beneficiary of the Youth Broadcasting The festivities were covered by Project initiated by UNICEF to give the international media from the Associated youth a chance to articulate their ideas Press, Agence France Press and BBC. by training them in the production of The media group witnessed a public radio and video programmes. The skills circus and acrobatic show organised by gained also give the youth a chance to Circus Somaliland and attended a develop content that supports workshop on HIV/AIDS for a group of programmes undertaken by UNICEF. Burao youth. They also visited Burao The video produced for the DAC Group Hospital where they interviewed focussed on the importance of health workers and patients and education for children and equal rights observed activities at a health post. for girls and boys. The youth group in collaboration with a local drama group In Garowe, the activities were organized has also developed a video on the by UNICEF in collaboration with harmful effects of femal genital Guardian, a local NGO. Among the mutilation. highlights was a truck which did the UNICEF Somalia Monthly Review 10

Later after the celebrations, Some seven primary schools representatives of local and participated in football and athletic international organizations attended a competitions in Jowhar. The football reception organised by UNICEF in matches were especially popular collaboration with the main women's drawing a large local audience. Farjano organization in Jowhar. Speeches were Primary School won the sports delivered by UNICEF staff and the competition beating Kulmis and Maria acting chairman of the Jowhar Primary School teams. Winners of the administration, Osman Hassan Aqil. competition were awarded prizes by Contributions from the local community UNICEF. in Jowhar played a key role in the success of the festivities. Local A community debate on Female Genital authorities and organizations provided Mutilation (FGM) was held and aired on transport, personnel and venues. Radio Jowhar. It was facilitated by a journalist who was trained through UNICEF support. In addition to the adult debaters, children and youth also expressed their views on the subject through phone-ins. Radio Jowhar also facilitated airing of various other radio programmes related to the DAC.

Up you go! Acrobats during DAC celebrations in Burao, Somaliland

Photo: Giacomo Pirozzi, UNICEF

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