OVERVIEW

The Transition Initiatives for Stabilization Plus (TIS+) activity aims to increase Somalia’s stability through participatory processes that promote good governance and community cohesion.  Given the fragile nature of the political and security gains made over the last few years in Somalia, TIS+ will maintain a continued focus on quick impact stabilization activities at the district and community levels, with a focus on targeted areas in the newly emerging states.  At the same time, TIS+ will support Somalia’s goal of moving from crisis response and stabilization to medium and longer-term development by facilitating joint planning between community, government and private sector actors on shared goals.

The TIS+ activities will be implemented alongside multiple levels of government, and support inclusive participation of a range of stakeholder groups in decision-making.  This approach intends to encourage effective shared asset management and demonstrate the government’s interest and emerging capacity to contribute positively to citizens’ daily lives.  Tangible stabilization and development outcomes achieved through this approach will increase stability by improving service delivery and demonstrating good governance processes, thereby improving citizen confidence in government and reducing the appeal of violent extremism.

ACTIVITY AREAS

TIS+ will continue to blend technical assistance and infrastructure development in communities throughout Somalia to address their short-term priorities and needs.  In coordination with government counterparts, TIS+ staff and facilitators will work collectively with all stakeholder groups in a selected area to assess community stabilization needs, collectively select and prioritize stability projects, and collectively implement, monitor and evaluate those activities. The stakeholder group, which includes local administration representatives, will take ultimate ownership of activity outputs and intended outcomes.

TIS+ will also begin to work with government and communities on planning for longer-term development initiatives.  In areas that have achieved a higher level of stability and have a stronger semblance of district government, TIS+ will assist government actors and communities to develop “bridging plans” and projects.  In addition to providing capital investments in these plans, TIS+ will also support stakeholders in capacity building to manage different phases and resource mobilization among other interested investors, including both public and private sector actors. These activities aim to incentivize cooperation around shared assets to increase social cohesion and regional stabilization.

In targeted areas, TIS+ will also undertake activities intended to build an enabling environment for stabilization, to overcome local challenges to implementation, and to foster increased, broad-based participation in these community-centric activities.  Activities may take a variety of forms, and will be developed with a sound understanding of the present conflict drivers, resiliencies, and important unresolved grievances in a community, as understood prior to and through the assessment phase.  Additionally, TIS+ will integrate into its engagement with communities the promotion of Somali arts and culture activities to contribute to their revival, which is seen as an effective mechanism for advancing peacebuilding and improving social cohesion.

For TIS+, integrating gender across the program in a holistic manner is not only about adding a woman’s component into an existing activity, and goes beyond increasing women’s participation.  Rather, integrating gender and addressing gender equality means bringing the experience, knowledge, and interests of women and men to bear on programmatic objectives and anticipated results.  The TIS+ team will support the empowerment of women and girls through gender-specific targeted interventions; while at the same time addressing gender equality concerns in the development, planning, and implementation of all project activities.

ACTIVITY IMPACT

TIS+ prioritizes engagement with government and communities within the Jubbaland State of Somalia, Southwest State of Somalia, Benadir Regional Authority, and the Sool and Sanaag regions.  Thus far, TIS+ accomplishments include:

• Supported the Jubbaland State of Somalia and Southwest State of Somalia to carry out district-based stability assessments;
• Carried out community consensus planning sessions in the newly recovered areas of Afmadow and Barawe;
• Supported the Benadir Regional Authority in holding a stakeholders forum to launch the development of “bridging plans” for targeted districts in Mogadishu;
• Supported the Jubbaland State of Somalia in organizing a consultative forum with over 50 women from the state; and
• Contributed to the Ministry of Interior and Federal Affairs’ consultations and launch of the national Wadajir Framework.