[{"bbox": [85, 154, 323, 185], "category": "Section-header", "text": "# 2 RATIONALE"}, {"bbox": [85, 220, 233, 246], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.1 Context"}, {"bbox": [96, 265, 1134, 531], "category": "Text", "text": "Somalia remains in a fragile and volatile situation despite the new Government increasing the impetus in the fight against the terrorist group Al-Shabaab. In fact, the efforts to liberate more areas from the terrorists have caused additional displacement from affected areas. Russia's unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine has further worsened the severe food insecurity crisis that has followed in the wake of five consecutive failed rainy seasons, contributing to exceptionally high food prices and leaving 7.8 million Somalis in need of humanitarian assistance during 2022. The most severely affected by the prolonged drought are children. Although the humanitarian response during the last months of 2022 managed to stave off famine, the situation remains extremely serious and the main causes of the food insecurity crisis remain unaddressed. As a consequence, about 1.8 million children under 5 will likely face acute malnutrition through June 2023, including over 513,000 who are expected to be severely malnourished."}, {"bbox": [96, 557, 1134, 850], "category": "Text", "text": "The need for investments in human development and resilience building remains high on the agenda in Somalia. This is done by supporting a transition from recurrent humanitarian responses to chronic vulnerabilities towards a long-term, predictable social protection system. As traditional rural livelihoods are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain and Somalia is urbanizing at a very fast pace, there is a need to support climate change adaptation in both rural and urban areas to implement The Somalia National Climate Change Policy (approved in 2020) and Somalia's Nationally Determined Contributions. In rural areas, the need for investing in climate smart food systems is evident with particular emphasis on sustainable management of natural resources. Urban areas, which are the focus of this action, face immense challenges in terms of resilience building and will need improved basic services, viable inclusive livelihood opportunities and income-generating activities with gender approach as well as social protection systems that can help reduce the humanitarian caseload and facilitate graduation pathways. With a rapidly increasing population and a large youth bulge, the need for supporting youth employment is evident."}, {"bbox": [96, 875, 1134, 1141], "category": "Text", "text": "Moreover, Somalia has not ratified the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol, 2003), the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equity in Africa (SDGEA), the Protocol on the Prevention and Suppression of Sexual Violence against Women and Children, the Beijing Platform for Action, UN Resolutions 1325 and 1820, and other pertinent gender-specific international and territorial Resolutions⁶. While the 2012 Provisional Constitution has gender equality and non-discrimination as one of its principles, this is not reflected in Somali law or customary practice. The 2018 draft Sexual Offenses Bill addresses child marriage and sexual and gender based violence (SGBV), but it has not been passed. Instead, a proposed controversial new bill would effectively legalize both. However, the National Development Plan 2020-2024 makes commitments towards women's empowerment, and a 2016 National Gender Policy highlights the government's priorities for gender equality and women's empowerment⁷."}, {"bbox": [96, 1167, 1134, 1459], "category": "Text", "text": "The social protection sector has experienced a surge in attention and funding during the last 5 years. As a result of the progress made in the debt relief process, Somalia now has access to substantial IDA funding from the World Bank towards social protection. Part of these funds have been directed to the Baxnaano Programme, which has been largely focused on shock response and targeting poverty rather than supporting resilience building and human development throughout the lifecycle. The World Bank also invests in supporting Somalia in establishing a Unified Social Registry with the purpose of managing data on beneficiaries of social transfers and streamlining data gathering among various implementing partners. The availability of World Bank funding for social protection beyond 2024 remains unclear and a review of the poverty targeting approach raised concerns about the accuracy of targeting. A continuation of EU support towards fine-tuning of social transfers using categorical targeting based on learning from previous and ongoing actions is therefore needed to ensure alignment with the Social Protection Policy's principles of universalism and the use of the lifecycle approach to social assistance."}, {"bbox": [96, 1485, 1134, 1539], "category": "Text", "text": "The ongoing EU Trust Fund SAGAL Project aims to reach more than 44,000 households with regular, long-term social transfers using four different categories for targeting: 1) pregnant and lactating women; 2) youth; 3) elderly;"}, {"bbox": [85, 1573, 1143, 1622], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁶ Extracted from “Stocktaking report - Women entrepreneurship, access to renewable energy and agri-food businesses with a focus on Somalia”, EuropeAid139956/DH/SER/MultiContract No 2019/405-992."}, {"bbox": [85, 1622, 251, 1644], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁷ EU CLIP Somalia"}, {"bbox": [1038, 1681, 1143, 1705], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 5 of 25"}]