ABOUT SIHA: The Network for Gender Equality and Women’s Rights in the Horn of Africa 

SIHA, which means “The Outcry” in Arabic, began over ten years ago in 1994 when a group of women activists from the Horn of Africa recognised the need for an indigenous regional organisation, made up of a network of civil society groups, who could work together learning from one another and campaigning for the rights of women and girls in the Horn of Africa.   

The SIHA network now has 24 members who are all national civil society organizations accredited and operational in one of the countries and territories in the region. There are 8 members in North Sudan, 2 in South Sudan, 2 in Eritrea, 2 in Ethiopia, 30 in Somaliland under the umbrella of Nagaad Network, 34 in Somalia who are part of the COGWO Network and 2 in Djibouti. The Horn of Africa region covers an area of 4,387,385 km sq. with a population of approximately 75 million people. The average level of poverty in the region currently stands at 49%. The prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM), a form of violence against women, is 92%. The infant mortality rate is 90.7 deaths per 1000 births. The number of refugees is more than four million. The number of internally displaced people (IDPs) exceeds ten million.  

SIHA hopes to expand its membership numbers but also bears in mind that quality is more important than quantity. Our aim therefore is to build the strength and commitment of our current members as well as inviting onboard new, pro-active and effective groups who will help us to achieve our goals.