Since the collapse of the military government in 1991, Somalia has experienced a wide range of clashes and disputes. Somali society is organised according to numerous major and minor clans, as well as sub-clans, which have a complex web of relationships with each other. Competition over water, grazing land, and other natural resources can often lead to disputes, between clans or within an individual clan, particularly for pastoralist communities. These disputes are exacerbated by the acute climate emergency in the Horn of Africa, as resources become increasingly scarce, leading to often violent conflict over the land still available for grazing of herds or the distribution of aid after the effects of severe weather events.

Somali communities have a traditional legal framework called Xeer, which predates the modern legal system and serves as a customary law governing social norms, disputes, and agreements among Somali communities. It is an unwritten code of conduct that has been passed down through generations and provides a foundation for conflict resolution and peacebuilding. Under the Xeer system, a process called ‘Diya’ (blood money) must be followed in cases of assault, murder, or injury to ensure that the victim’s family is compensated adequately. This approach is supposed to promote harmony and social cohesion. However, while the Xeer system has sustained Somali society in times of crisis and political turmoil, it also has its shortcomings, such as the exclusion of women, youth and minorities, and inconsistencies in its interpretation and application.

Given the limitations of the traditional system and the clear motivation and interest of women and youth to play a more active role in resolving and preventing conflicts, the Berghof Foundation established the Insider Peacebuilders Network (IPN) as an innovative approach to fostering peace and unity among different communities and clans in Hirshabelle State and Galmudug State. The IPN is comprised of members of various sectors of society, including traditional elders, religious leaders, women, youth, poets, and representatives from marginalised clans. This diverse network of more than 100 individuals expands perspectives on mediation and conflict resolution beyond traditional elders, leading to ideas for resolving conflict that are more inclusive. Allowing for the insight of those individuals in Somali society who are often excluded from such processes leads to more sustainable solutions.

Members of the IPN have undergone capacity development in mediation, conflict resolution, trauma healing and mental health and psychosocial support, as well as community policing, and the nexus between climate change and conflict. Workshops on climate security give the IPN members the skills to analyse and respond to conflicts with a climate-sensitive lens. The IPN is primarily based in five districts of Hirshabelle State – Jowhar, Balcad, Beledweyne, Adele and Bulaburte – and five districts of Galmudug State – Adado, Dhusamareb, Galkayo, Abudwaq, and Hobyo. Prominent traditional elders who previously managed disputes exclusively have embraced the IPN as a collaborative effort that brings together various community sectors to better resolve conflict. The IPN also works closely with the government authorities in each of the districts, jointly defining priorities.

The members of the IPN carry out initiatives that range from women’s workshops on peace to youth football tournaments to a production of a television drama. Most recently, they have provided space for community members to discuss the role that climate change and environmental degradation may play in exacerbating conflicts in their communities and encouraged collective brainstorming on possible ways forward.

ks In one example, the Mandhere and Daysamase villages near Jowhar were involved in a violent conflict over agricultural land near the Jowhar River. As the rains in Somalia become increasingly erratic and infrequent, land near the river has become more valuable and therefore contested. The local IPN members reached out to the traditional elders of both villages, urging them to cease hostilities and engage with one another peacefully to resolve their differences. With the support of the Jowhar district administration, they facilitated a four-day dialogue, which allowed the community members a space to hear each other’s perspectives. The IPN youth members in Jowhar subsequently offered training to 30 elders in the communities to support them to build relationships between the communities, foster collaboration and increase understanding about the effect of climate change on the villages and the need to work together. One of the participants, an older man, mentioned how the training brought them closer as neighbours and brothers, reinforcing their commitment to peace and communication.