FEATURE | 18 Sept 2025

International Day of Peace 2025: Listen to the stories of women peacebuilders

Facing overlapping crises, women peacebuilders in Somalia create an impact that fosters hope and sustainable peace within their communities.

On Peace Day, we spotlight Somali women peacebuilders shaping resilient futures through collective action. Watch their powerful stories.

The women from our Insider Peacebuilders Network in Somalia are leaders who bring communities together and create a powerful multiplier effect for peace, despite the challenges they face. In a time when we are seeing a backlash against women’s inclusion around the world, it is even more important to support and learn from the experiences of those who build peace within their communities. To celebrate International Day of Peace, we are highlighting the vital role of women peacebuilders in Somalia, in their communities and beyond.

People in Somalia are facing overlapping crises: the effects of climate change, violent conflict and a lack of social cohesion. Since 2015, we have been working with a network of insider peacebuilders who conduct independent mediation and (environmental) peacebuilding activities. As part of our long-term programming, we regularly convene the insider peacebuilders from Galmudug, Hirshabelle and the South-West State for workshops to strengthen their roles as peace leaders, foster networking and peer exchange, and to jointly identify needs for tailored thematic and technical support.

At one of these workshops, we interviewed women from the Insider Peacebuilders Network, who shared insights into their experiences within the network, the challenges they face as insider peacebuilders and how they see their role as community leaders in times of crisis.

Check out the videos below to hear their stories in their own voices.

Asma Ahmed Mohamed is the Gender Focal Point at the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs, and Reconciliation (MoIFAR). She shares why the active participation of women as peacebuilders can help achieve meaningful conflict resolution.

Ayan Ahmed Ali, who is part of our Insider Peacebuilders Network in Hirshabelle, explains how the network has given her confidence to advocate for the expansion of opportunities for women in Somalia.

Madina Adow Olow is the Chairperson of the Women’s Association of Middle Shabelle. She highlights the importance of capacity-building and connecting women across Somali regions to contribute to community development.

As Chairperson of the Women’s Association of Galmudug State, Halimo Jama Elmi has dedicated her life to uniting communities and shares her experiences of empowering women and ending cycles of violence.

Shamso Abdirashid Ahmed is an insider peacebuilder in South-West State who advocates for youth and women. She underlines how our network has helped empower Somali women to envisage their role in peacebuilding and gain skills to support their communities.

We also have a message from our Executive Director Chris Coulter, who shares her reflections on why women’s leadership is essential to building lasting peace.