CRD - Center for Research & Diaogue

Mid ka mid ah madaxda Xarunta Cilmi Baarista iyo Wada Tashiga (CRD) ee magaaladda Muqdisho, Jibril Ibraahim Cabdulle, oo ay BBC-du waraysatay ayaa waxa uu ka warramay dhibaatooyinka horyaalla dowladda la filayo

The Centre for Research & Dialogue (CRD) is an independent not-for-profit corporation aimed to promote the social, economic & political rebuilding of Somalia. The Centre utilises Participatory Research as a means to facilitate processes of dialogue, consensus building, policy development and institutional capacity building at the national and local levels.

CRD – Sunday June 22 2008 – Eng. Mohamed Hassan Kulmiye, a Somalia re spected peace activist and cooordinator office Central regions of CRDSOMALIA was assassinated yestarday near his home in Beledweyne town, the capital Hiraan region by unknown assailants . Mr. Kulmiye has been active in Central regions of Somalia in facilitating local reconciliation.

Follow-up Workshop on Women's Peace and Reconciliation Efforts and Entebbe Peace Initiatives

Form 10-12/06/2008, CRDSOMALIA/INTERPEACE AND IIDA/COSPE held a workshop named “Follow-up Workshop on Women's Peace and Reconciliation Efforts and Entebbe Peace Initiatives” at SAHAFI II in Mogadishu for 50 women participants from different eleven regions of South Central Somalia.

Since collapse of Siad Barre Regime, Somali women began to build NGOs. They have increased their involvement in peace activities for Somalia , which is actual response showing that building peace is one of their first priorities and major demand to their communities as well as their families' life and development. see more

Kismayo CRD Activity on March 29-31/2008

A three-day workshop on strengthening women in peace building and conflict resolution was held in Kismayo by CRD team. The main objectives of the training was to upgrade L/Juba women's skills and conscious towards peace building, conflict resolution, networking system, in addition to agitate them to have linkages for work collaboration,

And it was determined by the requisition of women in lower juba, plus CRD's objectives to enhance women's role in peace building processes and encourage them to support and share men in social needs activity, mainly peace and reconciliation development, which seen as the basic needs of human life and such kind of program have been continuing in South Central Somalia since 2007, as of second phase of dialogue for peace implemented by CRD/Interpeace. see more

CRD/NON-STATE ACTORS SUPPORT PROGRAM

REPORT OF THE FIRST SOSCENSA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

South Central of Somalia's Non-State Actors support program started early 2005, following memorandum of understanding reached between the Centre for Research and Dialogue (CRD) and saferworld (SW).

CRD NSA team first started with conducting consultation meetings with some prominent civil society personalities for guidance and information. This was followed by a number of mapping out exercises to identify and then classify accordingly NSA organizations operating in South-Central of Somalia.

At the end of the mapping exercises CRD NSA Support program team identified fifty-two (52) NSA organizations operating effectively throughout the eleven regions of this zone, including private sectors, civil soceity organizations and professional associations and NSA regional representatives. 26 working group member were later formed, with the aim to pave the way for the creation of all inclusive South central of Somalia's NSA entity. see more detail

Human rights and conflict resolution training

Beledweyn, Hiran Region, Somalia

Human Rights and Conflict resolution are two main factors of social life. Understanding the meaning of Human Rights and Conflict resolution are important for society. They facilitate the integration of the people. They reduce the problems and conflict among people. The international community always tries to help our society to reach peace and prospective stability between them. CRDSOMALIA is a respected and tested local NGO which conducts different training, workshops and forums to help Somali people solve their problem. One of them was held in Beledweyn district of Hiran Region. The objective of this training was to enhance the understanding of the participants the meaning and aim of the Human Rights and Conflict Resolution. See More

CONSULTATION MEETING AMONG WOMEN ORGANIZATIONS & WOMEN GROUPS OF BAY REGION

The Center for Research & Dialogue has been undertaking peacebuilding, conflict resolution and reconciliation activities among the communities of south central regions of Somalia in the latest years for post-conflict recovery objectives and to develop peace sustainability among neighboring inhabitants, in order to share resources as water and cattle grassing peacefully, as well farmers to farm in wisdom. Read More

Workshop on Strengthening the Role of Bay Business Community in Peacebuilding

On February 3-6, 2008, the Center for Research and Dialogue (CRD), conducted four days workshop for Bay Business groups in Baidoa. This workshop was the first of its kind to take place in the region for business groups. It was also the first time that these diversified business groups meet. The main purpose of the event was to strengthen the role of Bay business community in peacebuilding activities while at the same time building better relations among Bay business groups. Read More

What is the role of the Somali students abroad in the rebuilding of the Somali Nation?

town-hall meeting organized by the Somali Students association at the International Islamic University in KL, Malaysia on February the 2nd 2008.

The Chairman and the director of CRD (Somalia) were invited to engage the Somali Students attending Malaysian universities. Over 7 hours in depth town-hall meeting whose main focus was to brief the students on the current situation in Somali and to facilitate an in depth discussion regarding the role of the students in rebuilding the Somali nation.

Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle, Director of the CRD, presented a comprehensive analysis of the current socio-economic realities of Somalia, its internal and external dimensions, the foundations of the dynamics that lead to the current unacceptable situation of the country. Using facts and figures compiled by CRD researchers and the contribution of the UN agencies, Universities and other independent analysts. Read More

Gedo & M/Juba Workshop on Strengthening Role of Women in Peace Building

On 26-28/01/2008, workshop on women strengthening in peace building & conflict resolution was held by CRD researchers team in Bardere, which is about 450 Km from Mogadishu, it is an agricultural and cattle raising district of Gedo Region, with population of different clans. River Juba crosses at the central portion of the city. Its situational security is normal, although sometimes clan conflict sadism occurs in accordance of Gedo region conflicts.

Participants were 50 members of women organizations mainly from NGOs, women structured groups, who came from different districts of these two regions, as Bardere, Luq, B/Hawo, Doolo,Garbaharey, C/Waq of gedo Region and Jilib, Bua'aale, Saakow & Salagle of M/Juba. The workshop was very interesting as participants showed in their spirit through quoting that it is more beneficiary to fit their capacity building needs and demanded to give them other chances. The workshop persuaded not only participants, but also responsibilities of both the region and the venue district it self. READ MORE

Somali Diaspora in Australia ready to assume bigger role in Somali

O Sunday January 27, members of the Somali-Australian c

ommunity have organized "Melbourne Forum". The Forum was intended to motivate, challenge and remind the Somali community of the events taking place back home in Somalia and challenges faced by the community in Australia . The initiative was the brainchild of members of the Melbourne Somali community leaders who invited Center for Research and Dialogue (CRD) to visit Australia .

The CRD's 'engaging with the Somali Diaspora' initiative which took place in the US, Canada and Europe has finally reached Australia and if the reception from the Somali community is any guide, it must have pushed many from their comfort zones and moved them to seriously pay attention the events taking place back home and their ongoing Socioeconomic challenges in Australia. A/llahi Hagi Ali, member of the organizing committee said "a remarkable historical event happened tonight in Melbourne ". Members of the Somali community were given an opportunity to share and exchange their views about the current events in Somalia and in wider Australia . Read more

Conflict Resolution and Peace Building Held in Jowhar

The Center for Research and Dialogue (CRD) had conducted three days workshop on Conflict Resolution and Peace Building in Jowhar district of Middle Shabelle Region during 22 – 24 January, 08. The main purpose of this workshop was to improve & strengthen communities' role in peace building and conflict resolution. The number of the participants was 30 consists of Elders, Youth and Women from the 8 districts of the Midle Shabelle Region. The workshop was seen very important and relevant by both the regional administrations and participants. They all stated that it was unexpected to see such a large number of mixed parts of community brought together to exchange experiences and discuss issues related to peace building and conflict resolution.Read More

Building the capacity of women to strengthen their role in Peace Building : “The Jowhar Women's Workshop

The Center for Research and Dialogue (CRD) had conducted three days workshop on strengthening the role of women in Peace Building in Jowhar of Middle Shabelle Region during 1 st – 3 rd January, 08. The main purpose of this workshop was to improve & strengthen women's role in peace building, conflict resolution, and reconciliation. The workshop also aimed to highlight the importance of networking and criteria for good leadership. The number of the participants was 57 women from the 8 districts of the Midle Shabelle Region namely- Jowhar (the regional headquarter), Adale, Aden Yabaal, Mahaday and Balad (older districts), and Warsheikh; and Raghe-Ele, Run-Nirgood which are newly formed districts after collapse. Participants came from all different categories of active women organizations/groups such as NGOs, women groups, business women, professionals, media and prominent individuals. More details

Gender & Human Rights Workshop

On November 28th to December 1st 2007, CRD conducted three days workshop on gender & human right issues in Baidoa, Bay region and the main objective

was to raise the awareness of 37 participants from different parties of Bay women groups, local authorities and the different parties of Bay civil society such as youth, human rights organizations, elders, religious groups on the issues of gender, human rights and the impact of war on the family specifically the women. see more details

CRD STRATEGIC PLAN IN 2008

The CRD Strategic plan for year 2008 was held in the provincial town of Baidia .

Most of the staff were transported from the different offices in South/Central of Somalia ; Mogadishu , Beledweyn and Kismanyo and gathered in Baidoa in order to enable them participating the programmatic direction of the next year. The senior management personnel and representatives of Board of Directors also took part the meeting. More Details

CRD Supports to Women on Building their Capacities and Establishing Collaborative Linkages at District and Regional Levels

Somali women after experiencing war difficulties in 17 years became mature in peace building activities. As impact of the Somali crises women shouldered dual responsibility her traditional role and the family economic responsibility of the father as men mostly became jobless, spend most of their time and money in politics, war and clan affairs. Because of war suffering, women encountered life obscurity. As impact of conflicts women have lost the lives of many of their beloved persons such, sons, fathers, brothers as well as other relatives in the conflicts, in addition to other violence such as looting. Killing, and raping. IT happens many times that women meet to see dead bodies of their husbands & brothers from the two confronting sides and due to the ongoing wars, they can't get way to take or bury these dead bodies leaving long lasting depressions. Women to ease the weight of these problems have become aware and are now eagerly prepared to be leaders of peace builders. More Details

CRD is an affiliate of Inter Peace (International Peace Building Alliance) whose Somali program is designed to assist local and national actors as well as the international community in responding more affectively to the challenges of overcoming conflict, preventing its re-occurrence and building a lasting peace in Somalia. It does so by employing an approach that

(1) embraces the value of democracy, peaceful change and consensus;
(2) is participatory, research based, and flexible; and
(3) aims at result that are macro-oriented, and consensus-built policy.

The program brings together actors from local and international institutions, civil society groups, private sector, community leaders, local and international NGOs, and external assistance partners in a consensus-based process for the identification and prioritisation of reconstruction and development need, action-oriented research and problem solving, and development of recommendations for improved policy and practices.

The Center also provides a neutral forum for dialogue and to create opportunities to discuss and address development & reconstruction issues of common concern to the Somali Society. The services of the Centre has been utilised by various institutions and some international organizations including the United Nations agencies.

CRD conducts training in interpersonal communication skills, conflict de-escalation and conflict management and also trains trainers whose skills will effect change in individuals, institutions and community through dispute resolution systems design and collaborative problem solving.