Project profile — UNdaunted: Educating Girls with Disabilities in Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Somalia

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased awareness of the community and education stakeholders on culturally-appropriate and gender-responsive hygiene and safe practices specific to COVID-19 prevention; (2) increased access for girls with disabilities for distance learning solutions during school closures due to COVID-19, including messaging on preventing sexual and gender-based violence; and (3) strengthened capacity of education stakeholders on inclusive, safe and child-friendly re-opening of schools for girls with disabilities.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (December 2021) include: (1) increased COVID-19 awareness of 2,160 community members through training sessions (776 women and 1,394 men); (2) conducted 21 community outreach sessions on girls’ education, including remote learning; (3) 36,000 children reported active engagement in quality distance learning education during school closures; (4) completed 156 awareness campaigns and produced and broadcast 12 radio shows in target communities, districts and provinces to address COVID-19 prevention measures, access to girls’ education, female genital mutilation and early forced marriage and their harmful effects on access to education; and (5) provided 172 schools with safe school reopening protocols.