Somalia - Africa Social Work & Development Network | Mtandao waKazi zaJamii naMaendeleo waAfrika

Template: Roles of associations
Names of social work
Social work training institutions
History of Social Work Profession in Somalia
About Somalia
Template: Code of ethics
Template: Structure of social development institutions
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U adeegida bulsho
Adeeg bulsho
Adeegga Bulshada
Shaqaale Bulsho

Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Southern Somalia, Baidoa, Southwest State of Somalia

(Acknowledgements: Eno, M. A. (2022) The Nascence of Social Work Education in Somalia: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Way Forward)

Indigenous social services

“Similar to other African countries, I intend to place the practice of social work in Somalia well prior to the arrival of European colonialism or spread of Islam into the country. Indeed, the cultural practice, tradition, and customary institutions all provide a long history of social cohesiveness—call it family- or extended family-based work, tribal group work, clan or kin-based work, or just any
other form of communal work done to contribute to the well-being of either an individual or a family or any group in need of the service concerned. I also take the opportunity to illuminate in this thesis of limited scope that while some of these services were paid for and purchased in one way or the other, similar to today’s provision of professional social work service, others were offered selflessly and purely on the basis of philanthropy and self-help.

The devastation which the country experienced did neither significantly compromise nor fade away the Somali’s more sacrosanct humanistic philosophy, the reality of voluntarism, the selflessness and/or moral-based provision of services. Therefore, unlike the pessimistic view of the colonial writers and other Western scholars of the same thought, the Somali people have neither abandoned the provision of social services to the needy nor have they become deprived of their hope and optimism for both the present and the future.”

Start of the bachelor’s degree program

Social work, in its formal setting as a discipline in higher education and as a profession, came to birth in Somalia under the auspices of UNICEF, the Ministry of Women and Human Development of the Federal Government of Somalia and the Swedish government. It was therefore a coordinated collaborative initiative aimed at training and producing the first cluster of academically qualified young Somali men and women. The concept was built on the provision of world class education and professional potential to the trainees in order for them to spearhead a systematic implementation of a real-world social work practice.
At the preliminary piloting stage of the program, the joint effort of the government of Sweden and UNICEF, through the Ministry of Women and Human Development of the Federal Government of Somalia, “sponsored the first batch of Somali students in the Centraland South-central regions to be professionally trained in the social work discipline and as the pioneering social workers” a social work lecturer stated. Inaugurated in 2018, the program is expected to graduate the first batch with a Bachelor of Social Work Degree around mid this year (2022).

The future of the new professionals

“Social work is a new profession whose benefits a majority of the Somali society is not yet much aware of. Therefore, an avenue for a massive “awareness exercise needs to be implemented,” a participant stated, in order to showcase the indispensability of the service of the newly graduated social workers.

The preservation of the professional social worker’s dignity, therefore, needs to be thought of with a high regard. Allowing the social work profession to be approached with the disdain that marred Somalia’s teaching profession (Eno 2018:81) will lead to the drastic failure of the delivery of the anticipated professional service. Furthermore, it will lead to the deterioration of the best practicesas well as undermine dealing effectively with the social ills social work is sanctified to fight. The unfortunate impact of such a disdainful policy and practice will result in a brain-drain whereby the trained professionals will either abandon the profession for better paying jobs available in the local market or, worse still, leave the country and contribute their expertise to another country.

Aside from the trials and tribulations in the delivery of social services and particularly in social work practice, the prospect of social work in Somalia is very bright. From being an unknown or a little known about profession, several states/regions in Somalia currently have the pride of producing and qualifying well trained social workers ready to take over their professional leadership in their
field of specialization.

Need for a Regulatory Body

“In order to establish and maintain credibility of the profession and society’s good faith in it, an all-inclusive, legitimately created organization or association that provides oversight, designs ethical standards, and pursues compliance by its members is required as a necessary step. Through this approach, compliance and quality assurance measures for the social work professional will usher in
adherence to ethics with a sense of accountability. To achieve the goal, related knowledge-base as well as expertise to move forward can be gained from already existing schools and professional bodies in the East Africa Region, institutions that have pioneered best practice in social work and have gained a considerable stretch of success over the years. The establishment of such an oversight body
is also necessitated by the rationale that when all the ideals related to the social work profession are in one way or the other achieved, it remains the sole responsibility of the social workers to be steadfast in asserting their professional etiquette, values, ethics, and best practices. Without an oversight institution, the professional fabric will be like loosely-knit threads unable to hold together.”

About Somalia

Information provided by Yuusuf Ali Haashi

Somalia is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, the Gulf of Aden to the north, the Indian Ocean to the east, and Kenya to the southwest. Somalia has a diverse population consisting of various ethnic groups, with Somali being the predominant ethnic group.

The country has a rich history and was once an important center for trade and commerce in the ancient world. However, Somalia has faced significant political instability and conflict since the overthrow of its military government in 1991. This has resulted in a lack of effective governance, widespread violence, and humanitarian crises.

Somalia is known for its nomadic pastoralist culture, with many Somalis traditionally relying on livestock farming as their primary means of livelihood. The country also has a long coastline, which has historically been important for fishing and trade.

Somalia’s economy has been heavily impacted by the ongoing conflict and instability. The country has limited infrastructure, weak institutions, and a large informal economy. However, there have been efforts to rebuild and stabilize the country, with international assistance and support.

Somalia is also known for its vibrant cultural heritage, including its music, poetry, and traditional dances. Somali cuisine is diverse and often includes dishes such as camel meat, rice, and various spices.

It is important to note that Somalia is not a single country but consists of different regions with varying degrees of autonomy. These regions include Somaliland, Puntland, Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Southwest State, and Jubaland. Each region has its own government and political dynamics.

Overall, Somalia continues to face numerous challenges but also possesses potential for development and growth.

Template: Code of ethics

Guiding Principles for Social Work Codes of Ethics

Each country (actually most) countries have created or adopted a Code of Ethics for social work. Most codes were developed from a colonial point of view and should be revised. In case where there are no Codes, they should be developed. In revising or developing ethics codes, the following broad principles apply:

Ethics are not universal, if we have to use ethics from other societies, then this has to be acknowledged, and it has to reciprocal, meaning we can’t borrow more than others are borrowing from us, and we cant be forced to borrow what does not fit our situation.
However, even if we use adopt ethics from others, we should have ours that are original.
Ethics should be based on a society’s philosophy and values.
Ethics and ethics codes that resulted from colonisation or neo-colonisation should be revised.
Ethics apply in training and education; publishing and research; and practice; collaboration; leadership and administration.
Ethics should be expressed and written in a language understood by the people we serve.

Specific ethical principles

Philosophically grounded ethics.
Decolonised ethics.
Indigenous ethics.
Developmental ethics.
Appropriate language.

A code of ethics should contain the following:

The philosophy on which the ethics are founded.
A list of the values from which the ethics are derived.
A list of the principles on which the ethics are created and will be implemented.
To whom the ethics apply.
Sanctions that will be applied when ethics have been broken.
How those sanctioned will appeal.

Philosophy

African ethics are founded on Ubuntu philosophy. Ubuntu applies at these levels:

Individual level
Family level
Village level
Community level
Society level
State level
Continental level (African level)
Global level

Values

Level of Ubuntu	Examples of Values	I shall abide by the following ethics in my learning, teaching, practice, research, collaboration, leadership or administration:
Individual level	Upenyu – valuing life Shosholoza – resilience Kuumba – creativity Ushavi – workmanship, enterprising Unyanzvi – professionalism Sankofa – look back to inform the present and future Ruremekedzo or Heshima	I shall not cause harm, disease, impairment or loss of life. I shall promote resilience. I shall promote creativity not imitation I shall conduct myself professionally. I shall value history in my work. I shall be respectful. I shall promote entrepreneurship and hard work.
Family level	Umhuri – familyhood, blood relations Ukama, Harambee – familyhood, blood relations Musha – permanent home in ancestral lands	I shall protect families and marriages. I shall promote best interests of the family in the work that I do. I shall value blood relations. I shall value people’s permanent homes. I shall value people’s ancestral lands and heritage.
Village level	Kagisano – good neighbourliness Ujima – collective responsibility Kuumba – mentoring	I shall promote harmony.
Community level	Ujamaa – familyhood or communityhood Simunye – strengths in numbers, we are one	The ethic is promote cooperation and collectivism. I shall promote justice. I shall respect local protocols.
Society level	Umuganda – service to others Ururami, Ubulungiswa, Ubutabera – justice Itorero – good members of society, and a strong sense of cultural values and leadership skills Umoja – unity, peace and harmony	I shall promote oneness. Where harm has happened, I shall promote fair compensation. I shall promote empowerment not dependence. I shall respect cultures. I shall be a good leader. I shall promote unity, peace and harmony.
State/country level	Ubunyarwanda – nationhood Utungamiri – leadership	I shall promote good leadership. I shall promote people-centered leadership
Continental level (African level)	Uhuru – liberty/independence/freedom Urithi, Nhaka – inheritance	I shall promote independence
Spiritual level	Uroho – spiritual connectedness	I shall promote holism/Wholism. I shall promote spiritual connectedness.
Environmental level	Umachobane – sustainability	I shall promote sustainability.
Global level	Ururami, Ubulungiswa, Ubutabera – justice Umoja – unity, peace and harmony Uhuru – liberty/independence/freedom Ujima – collective responsibility Kurutsisa – decolonisation	I shall promote justice. I shall decolonise my practice research and learning. The ethic is liberate and protect African liberation.

To whom ethics apply:

Student social workers
Registered and unregistered social workers
Lecturers
Researchers
Leaders e.g. supervisors, managers, administrators and directors

Some ethics will apply to

Training administrators who are not social workers
Librarians who are not social workers
Research leaders who are not social workers

Monitoring ethics

Each person shall be responsible for ethical conduct and shall self-report in case on breaches or seek advice to prevent breaches
Each person shall look after another, advice and report
Each association shall look after members
Each country or state shall
Each community shall
Each client shall

Sanctions

When an ethic has been breached sanctions include:

Compensation
Re-training
De-registration
Suspension
Asking for forgiveness
Restitution
Court trial (from family court, village court, community court, state court, African court or global court)
Dismissal from work

Appeals

The appeal can be done to reduce the sanction, compensation, sentence or judgement.

Template: Roles of associations

Template: Roles of a professional associations of social workers

Creating a code of ethics relevant to Africa: To create a code of ethics guided by African values that have been used to provide social services since time immemorial.
Societal recognition: make social work known in families and communities including what social work is in local language, the roles of social workers and how the complement not replace or compete with the roles of families and communities. Presently, in most African communities, social work is not understood and at times it is hated because of its focus on western ideas, knowledge, philosophy, theories, methods and literature.
Creating a local definition of social work: to help social work being understood and appreciated. Definitions in local languages will be more useful.
Creating relevance: making social work in Africa more developmental to enable it to respond to the social issues, challenges and problems on the continent. Social work has to respond to mass poverty in a developmental not remedial way.
Professional recognition: To raise social work to the level of other professions, and to give social workers respect and recognition of their service.
Professional regulation: Ensure that social workers follow ethical principles that make them accountable for any professional misconduct, breach of ethics or confidentiality.
Professional standards: To oversee social worker’s performance, attitude towards families, communities, peers, profession and the society. This builds trust and ensures credibility of social work.
Training monitoring: To monitor social work training and fieldwork.
Produce literature: To research, write and publish relevant literature for social work training and fieldwork.
Advocacy: To advocate for social justice and social services.
Continuous training: To lead continuous professional development (CPD) of social workers and all people providing social services. This is important especially for social workers trained in the colonial period, those trained using colonial syllabus or those trained outside Africa.
Supporting and empowering indigenous services: To support families and communities in their roles of providing social services and not disempower them.
Trade unionism: Act as the trade union of social workers to represent their interests and labour rights as workers, entrepreneurs, volunteers and social innovators.
Consumerism: protect families, communities and employers from poor services from social workers, receiving complaints and dealing with them.
Collaboration with other associations: Work and collaborate with other professional bodies in the country, in the region, in Africa and globally.
Policy work: Creating policies or alternative policies to advance social development and to scrutinize existing policies of the government.
Recognising social workers: Celebrate social workers through national social work day, global social work day and providing awards to social workers, students, academics and social work organisations.
Networking: providing opportunities for social workers to network, share experiences and listen to others through indaba, conference, webinar, newsletters, journals, websites, social media e.g. groups of Facebook or WhatsApp, dinner etc
Decolonising: To decolonise social work to make it relevant to Africa communities, this work involves, among others
- Using African philosophy, including values, ethics, theories, models etc
- Using African ethics and removing colonial ethics
- Using African literature and removing colonial literature
- Using African academics and replacing non-African academics
- Using a home grown syllabus, and replace colonial syllabus – in the process avoid brain drain
- Using and valuing African methods, techniques and strategies of social work and not non-African methods
- Valuing African history of social work and Africans who have contributed to that history
- Contributing African knowledge and methods to global social work and not just receiving global knowledge without scrutiny
- To educate families, communities, organisations and government about how to remove colonial practices, methods, knowledge etc from the social work services that they provide
- Generally, make African social work more developmental in approach so that the profession becomes relevant to our families, communities, organisations and government

Template: Roles of a professional associations of social workers

Creating a code of ethics relevant to Africa: To create a code of ethics guided by African values that have been used to provide social services since time immemorial.
Societal recognition: make social work known in families and communities including what social work is in local language, the roles of social workers and how the complement not replace or compete with the roles of families and communities. Presently, in most African communities, social work is not understood and at times it is hated because of its focus on western ideas, knowledge, philosophy, theories, methods and literature.
Creating a local definition of social work: to help social work being understood and appreciated. Definitions in local languages will be more useful.
Creating relevance: making social work in Africa more developmental to enable it to respond to the social issues, challenges and problems on the continent. Social work has to respond to mass poverty in a developmental not remedial way.
Professional recognition: To raise social work to the level of other professions, and to give social workers respect and recognition of their service.
Professional regulation: Ensure that social workers follow ethical principles that make them accountable for any professional misconduct, breach of ethics or confidentiality.
Professional standards: To oversee social worker’s performance, attitude towards families, communities, peers, profession and the society. This builds trust and ensures credibility of social work.
Training monitoring: To monitor social work training and fieldwork.
Produce literature: To research, write and publish relevant literature for social work training and fieldwork.
Advocacy: To advocate for social justice and social services.
Continuous training: To lead continuous professional development (CPD) of social workers and all people providing social services. This is important especially for social workers trained in the colonial period, those trained using colonial syllabus or those trained outside Africa.
Supporting and empowering indigenous services: To support families and communities in their roles of providing social services and not disempower them.
Trade unionism: Act as the trade union of social workers to represent their interests and labour rights as workers, entrepreneurs, volunteers and social innovators.
Consumerism: protect families, communities and employers from poor services from social workers, receiving complaints and dealing with them.
Collaboration with other associations: Work and collaborate with other professional bodies in the country, in the region, in Africa and globally.
Policy work: Creating policies or alternative policies to advance social development and to scrutinize existing policies of the government.
Recognising social workers: Celebrate social workers through national social work day, global social work day and providing awards to social workers, students, academics and social work organisations.
Networking: providing opportunities for social workers to network, share experiences and listen to others through indaba, conference, webinar, newsletters, journals, websites, social media e.g. groups of Facebook or WhatsApp, dinner etc
Decolonising: To decolonise social work to make it relevant to Africa communities, this work involves, among others
- Using African philosophy, including values, ethics, theories, models etc
- Using African ethics and removing colonial ethics
- Using African literature and removing colonial literature
- Using African academics and replacing non-African academics
- Using a home grown syllabus, and replace colonial syllabus – in the process avoid brain drain
- Using and valuing African methods, techniques and strategies of social work and not non-African methods
- Valuing African history of social work and Africans who have contributed to that history
- Contributing African knowledge and methods to global social work and not just receiving global knowledge without scrutiny
- To educate families, communities, organisations and government about how to remove colonial practices, methods, knowledge etc from the social work services that they provide
- Generally, make African social work more developmental in approach so that the profession becomes relevant to our families, communities, organisations and government

Template: Structure of Social Development Institutions

Institutions of social work or social development are structured differently in each country. Below we provide a list of institutions that are necessary.