The WAWA (We Are Women Activists) Network
Who We Are
The WAWA (We Are Women Activists) Network was founded by groups that were formerly part of the Bari Womenıs Confederation. The groups decided to dissolve BWC to form a larger network. Other organizations involved in the formation of WAWA include Horn Relief, Somali Women Concern, Galkayo Education Centre for Peace and Development and Women and Child Care.
WAWA is the result of a long struggle of Somali women activists who
made an independent decision to form the network and then seek
support. WAWA from the beginning has recognized that it cannot
succeed without the integration of young women in all its work, its
structure and decision making. The focus of WAWA Network is on civic
education and peace.
The WAWA Network is open to membership by Somali womenıs groups and associate membership by any interested groups, institutions or individuals. Although it started in the northeast of Somalia, WAWA hopes to reach beyond this region.
WAWA hopes to join with other organizations throughout the world who are working for peace, human rights and womenıs political participation.
What We Have Done
WAWA has concentrated on training and sharing of resources among womenıs groups, including capacity building in institutional and organizational development for all member organizations. Following training, WAWA has distributed small seed funds to each member organization to start their own projects.
As one of its first projects, WAWA sponsored a Young Womenıs Leadership Institute to help prepare young women to play a leadership role in their member organizations and in WAWA itself.
What We Believe
WAWAıs VISION is to institutionalize a network of activist Somali womenıs organization to work for peace and human rights through womenıs participation in decision making at all levels of civil society, the economy and the state.
WAWAıs MISSION 1) Training of Activists (TOA) among WAWA member organizations, especially young women, in leadership, advocacy, civic education and decision making.
2) Increasing WAWA member organizationsı access to information and communication related to advocacy for peace and human rights especially through technology (email and Internet).
3) Mobilizing resources for training, communication and advocacy for the WAWA Network
4) Advocating for womenıs participation in decision making in civil society, the economy and the state.
5) Monitoring and evaluating activities regarding womenıs participation in decisionmaking in government and civil society, including international organizations.
6) Strengthening linkages of the WAWA Network with other womenıs organizations and networks, including international womenıs groups.