Bolstering the Safety and Dignity of Women and Girls Impacted by El Nino Induced Drought Ethiopia is experiencing one of the worst droughts in decades due to failure of the two main rainy seasons. The Somali regional state is one of the regions of the country significantly affected by the current drought and effects of El Niño. Most of the Woredas in the region are classified as hotspot priority. The region is currently hosting 354,277 internally displaced persons (IDPs). The International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Internal Displacement Monitoring Report showed that up to 36% of El Nino induced IDPs have returned to their places of origin, the numbers arriving into certain zones in Somali region continue to increase. The majority of the IDPs in the region are settled in Fafan and Liban Zones. As a result, the IRC selected these zones as its operational locations. 
Displacement as a result of emergency affects women and girls disproportionately and it increases protection needs of women and girls. During displacement women and girls of reproductive age have increased needs of safety, security as well as hygienic needs (CPRA, 2015). Similarly, the drought exacerbates the pre-existing gender inequalities putting women and girls at the risk of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and its impact on the household income forces girls and women to engage in transactional sex which makes them vulnerable to HIV.  This data also highlighted the increasing of GBV occurs in the affected areas. 
The Somali Region Bureau of Women and Children Youth Affairs (BoWCYA) led child protection rapid assessment conducted in December 2015 showed that 44% of the identified sites reported forced marriage, 9% sexual violence and 3% domestic violence. The violence happened while they were fetching water, collecting firewood and at home and greater number of women and girls are forced to domestic servitude due to the increasing livelihood crisis. The multiple responsibilities of women and girls for household chores in the face of limited resources lead to anxiety and psychological stress which call for urgent assistance. Based on the Gender Analysis conducted by Oxfam in Somali and Afar regions in April 2016, the current drought has reduced the productivity, income generating and remunerative activities of both women and men. As men and boys are temporarily migrating with their livestock, the number of female-headed households is increasing. The April 2016 IOM internal displacement depicted that 3590 households were displaced in Fafan zone of Babile and Jijiga woreda. According to the Inter-Agency Protection Field Mission report carried out in March 2016 in Fafan zone, access to basic services is currently meagre as a result of which women and girls travel long distances to fetch water exposing them to various protection risks including sexual violence. 
This project aims to mitigate risks related to sexual violence, exploitation and abuse, forced and early marriage on women and girls IDPs who are living in the drought affected areas of Babile, Gursum, and Jijiga woredas of Fafan Zone through establishing temporary women and girls safe spaces for life saving psycho-social support, strengthening referral pathways, and dignity kit distribution.  In order to strengthen the multi-sectoral coordination and capacity of service providers and government structures, targeted capacity trainings and technical support will be provided in the development of SGBV standard operating protocol. In order to narrow the gender gaps, the IRC will engage men and boys through community dialogue, awareness raising, gender clubs, and curriculum based coffee discussions. In addition, the project aims to address the livelihood needs of destitute households by engaging them in alternative livelihood activities through cash award in the form of revolving fund scheme, promotion of saving habits and developing their business skill by provision of trainings and ongoing technical assistance.