Peace building & Traditional Elders

Jun 01, 2025

Vision

To foster a peaceful, united, and resilient Somaliland where traditional elders and communities play a central role in conflict prevention, mediation, and sustainable peacebuilding.

Mission

To strengthen community-based peace structures by empowering traditional elders, supporting indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms, and integrating local wisdom into national peace and governance frameworks.

Core Values

  • Respect for Tradition: Valuing the role of elders and cultural practices in maintaining peace.

  • Dialogue: Promoting peaceful resolution through communication and understanding.

  • Unity: Encouraging national cohesion and reconciliation across clans and regions.

  • Justice: Supporting fair, inclusive, and rights-based conflict resolution.

  • Collaboration: Working with communities, civil society, and international partners.

Departmental Strategic Goals

  1. Empower Traditional Elders in Peace and Governance

    • Recognize and formalize the roles of traditional elders in conflict mediation.

    • Provide elders with training in peacebuilding, human rights, and state law.

    • Facilitate communication between elders and formal government institutions.

  2. Prevent and Mediate Communal Conflicts

    • Establish local peace committees in conflict-prone regions.

    • Deploy elders and mediators to intervene in clan disputes, land conflicts, and political tensions.

    • Develop early warning systems with input from communities.

  3. Promote National Reconciliation and Social Cohesion

    • Organize inter-clan dialogues, peace conferences, and trust-building forums.

    • Use cultural events, poetry, and storytelling to promote unity and shared identity.

    • Support post-conflict healing and reintegration efforts.

  4. Document and Integrate Traditional Conflict Resolution Practices

    • Conduct research on Somali traditional justice systems (xeer).

    • Identify best practices and harmonize them with national laws and policies.

    • Publish guidelines and case studies on indigenous peacebuilding models.

  5. Strengthen Coordination with Local Authorities and Security Forces

    • Involve elders in decision-making on security, displacement, and reconciliation.

    • Establish joint task forces between elders, police, and administrators in hotspots.

    • Encourage non-violent community policing supported by local leaders.

  6. Build Partnerships for Sustainable Peace

    • Collaborate with NGOs, civil society, and international peacebuilding organizations.

    • Mobilize resources for grassroots peace projects and elder-led initiatives.

    • Align departmental work with national peace and security strategies.

  7. Raise Awareness and Foster a Culture of Peace

    • Run nationwide peace education and advocacy campaigns in schools and mosques.

    • Promote youth involvement in traditional peace practices and mentorship by elders.

    • Celebrate Peace Day and similar events to honor peacemakers and community elders