About CRD

Xarunta Cilmi Baarista iyo Wadatashiga

Introduction

The Centre for Research & Dialogue (CRD) is an independent not-for-profit corporation aimed to promote the social, economic & political rebuilding of Somalia. The Centre utilises Participatory Research as a means to facilitate processes of dialogue, consensus building, policy development and institutional capacity building at the national and local levels.

CRD programs bring together actors form local and international institutions, civil society groups, private sector, community leaders, local and international NGOs, and external assistance partners in a consensus-based process for the identification and prioritisation of reconstruction and development need, action-oriented research and problem solving, and development of recommendations for improved policies and practices.

CRD is committed to promoting consensus decision-making at the policy and community level by encouraging and supporting the participation of citizens in the affairs affecting their lives. Beneficiaries of this consensus decision-making processes are the most vulnerable among the society i.e. women, children and youth. In this regard, the goal of CRD is to empower Somali communities’ transition to peaceful change by providing them with a neutral venue to identify their issues and set priorities for response. Following the collapse of national institutions, and along with it, the role of professionals, CRD has brought to Somalia from the diaspora highly qualified professionals to lead the programs & activities of the Center and/or to provide capacity-building trainings to potential candidates. The Centre also secured the expertise of the Somalis in the Diaspora by encouraging them to participate in the rebuilding process of the country for short periods.

The Center also provides a neutral forum for dialogue and to create opportunities to discuss and address development & reconstruction issues of common concern to the Somali Society. The services of the Centre has been utilised by various institutions and some international organizations including the United Nations.

Center for Research & Dialogue (CRD)

Training center

CRD training unit can utilize over 15 trainers specializing in areas such legal, local governance, capacity building, conflict resolution, peacebuilding, local leadership training, media, human rights and arts for peace etc. The Unit also produced a number of training manuals utilized by other agencies. It has undertaken training on behalf of a number of agencies including; UN-habitat, UNICEF, TIS, Local business community, European Commission media support project, UNOPOS, Federal Government and Somali Diaspora.

CRD had conducted training sessions in the Swedish cities of Govle and Gothenburg; in Ottawa, Canada and in Nairobi, Kenya. CRD capacity to not only undertake training but develop the training manuals and legislative house procedures is very unique. Our trainers produce these materials in Somali langue and can even provide sub-lingual version i.e the af-maay-maay provision.