Minority inclusion learning review of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland – Programmes in the Horn of Africa
MRG was commissioned by the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs to carry out a minority inclusion learning review concerning its programmes in the Horn of Africa region (comprising north east Kenya, Southern Ethiopia and Somalia/Somaliland).
The review showed that in Kenya and Ethiopia, Swiss programmes were focused on poor and marginalised communities and were reaching the locally dominant (but nationally marginalised) communities successfully. In Kenya, the review surfaced issues of locally non-dominant communities and showed how county level decision making may have disadvantaged these ‘minorities within minorities’. In Somalia/Somaliland, the review tested out collecting data on minority clan inclusion, which was shown to be possible in different ways, and overall showed that minority clans continue to be side-lined when development initiatives are planned as well as when emergency aid is distributed.
Overall, the review underlined the importance of understanding and explicitly factoring in local power dynamics, and the need to counter existing inequalities with strong and pro-active inclusion mechanisms as well as robust, inclusive and trusted feedback mechanisms.
