Somali Danish Women in Action, abbreviated as SDWA, is a voluntary Diaspora women led organization that is non-profit making, non-governmental and non-partisan with no religious or political affiliation. The establishment of the organization was a result after a group of Somali-Danish women, based in Denmark, held an assembly meeting on the drought crisis that hit most of the regions in Somalia and affected nearly 2.5 million people who were at risk of starvation at that time. The group of Diaspora women who were humanitarian pioneers led by Hawa Abdirashid organized the assembly meeting to discuss the establishment of a women-led Diaspora organization on the 4th of November 2021 in Nyborg, Denmark. As a result of the discussions during the assembly meeting, SDWA was founded to respond to the need for humanitarian aid, gender violence, and gender inequalities in Somalia. The primary purpose is to support women, youth, and children in Somalia’s communities by providing both relief and gender-mainstreamed developmental programs through educational capacity building, peacebuilding, and conflict resolution.

SDWA is headquartered in Nyborg, Denmark, and its registered with the Federal Government of Somalia as an international organization. SDWA has local NGO partners in Somalia’s different federal states of Puntland, Jubaland, Galmudug, Hir-shabeele, and the Banaadir region. Legally, the organization is also registered at the NGO or business registration authority in Denmark under CVR No. 44351196 as a humanitarian Diaspora women led entity. The decades-old conflicts in Somalia and insecurity complemented by natural disasters such as droughts, cyclones, and floods have made Somalia a volatile humanitarian crisis and a difficult place to live. The country has one of the largest internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the world in which women constitute 60% of the displaced population. In Somalia, women and girls are among the most underprivileged people and their life remains challenging in the country that ranks fourth lowest for gender equality globally, and maternal and infant mortality rates are some of the highest in the world.

The expertise of the Somali Diaspora on these problems cannot be underestimated, and their experience can be utilized to start the much-needed peacebuilding, women and youth empowerment, promotion of human rights and gender equality, advocacy, protection, and humanitarian endeavors. Thus, SDWA being an organization led by Somali- Danish women with sound educational backgrounds and experience is potentially vital for the donors’ engagement as a development partner for the country of origin, Somalia, in terms of reaching the vulnerable and marginalized groups among the Somali community, particularly women and youth.