Mogadishu, Somalia – United Nations Women Somalia has expressed deep gratitude to the government of Japan for its continued support to the Leadership, Empowerment, Access, and Protection (LEAP) project — a lifeline initiative now reaching more than 440 women and girls across the country.
In a nation where decades of conflict and climate disasters have disproportionately affected women, the LEAP project has emerged as a model for inclusive humanitarian programming. Far from being passive recipients of aid, Somali women engaged in the initiative are becoming decision-makers, community mobilizers, and protectors of vulnerable households.
Through Japan’s funding, the project has provided women with leadership training, protection services, livelihood opportunities, and access to safe spaces where they can receive psychosocial support and legal assistance. The program also ensures that women and girls — often sidelined in crisis response efforts — are involved in shaping humanitarian policies that affect their lives.
UN Women Somalia praised Japan not only for financing the project but also for championing gender-responsive solutions in one of the world’s most challenging humanitarian contexts. Field teams report tangible results: women who once relied entirely on aid are now running small businesses, leading local protection committees, and mentoring adolescent girls facing early marriage or violence.
For the girls participating in the program, hope is no longer an abstract concept. One young participant from Baidoa described how the LEAP-supported mentoring groups helped her return to school after displacement.
As Somalia continues to navigate drought, insecurity, and recovery, the LEAP project stands as proof that investing in women is not just compassionate — it is strategic. With the backing of partners like Japan, UN Women says it hopes to expand the model, ensuring that even more women and girls have the tools not only to survive crisis, but to shape the future of their country.