Award for the Defence of the Right to Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare

Talowadag Coalition, Somaliland

“We began our work with one lady who lived in a shack, having been thrown out of her home by her family. Today we care for people who have HIV and AIDS, we sit and eat with them, we touch them.
When others see this, it sends a powerful signal to them.”

The Talowadag Coalition may only be 4 years old, but it has quickly found its feet and now leads the fight against stigma and discrimination.

Talowadag means ‘in consultation with one another.’
This idea of people talking together and supporting each other runs through all of their work.

Comprised of the only three organisations in Somaliland who are supporting people with HIV and AIDS, the Talowadag Coalition currently supports and cares for over 1500 people who are either infected with HIV, or affected by AIDS in some way – for example, the families of those who are ill. Many of these people live in abject poverty, and the majority are women.

HIV and AIDS are taboo subjects in Somaliland - they are not talked about openly. Fear and misunderstanding surrounds these diseases. Many people who learn they are infected are abandoned by their families and quickly become destitute – no-one will touch them or talk to them, neighbours will not let their animals graze together any longer, and often they are thrown out of their homes.

The Coalition provides home-based care and emotional support for people who are ill, and support groups help them to share their experiences with others. The Coalition also works to educate the wider community on how to take responsibility for their sexual health so that they can avoid becoming infected with HIV or AIDS.

Working with religious leaders and clan leaders in particular been a successful way of educating the community, and spreading positive messages of compassion and support. This is a sound beginning in addressing the traditional cultural practices and attitudes which have long-discriminated against people living with HIV and AIDS.

The Talowadag Coalition are pioneers, leading the fight against discrimination and  working to promote and protect the fundamental employment, healthcare and family rights of people who are living with HIV.