© IOM 2013 (Photo: Sharazad Dalel)

Hamidah, 10 years old, wants to be a doctor when she grows up. Every night, she uses a solar lantern she received from IOM to do her homework in a makeshift shelter she shares with her family at Al-cadaala IDP settlement in Mogadishu, Somalia.

IOM, working with Panasonic, is handing out lanterns in non-electrified IDP settlements across Somalia to help fight gender-based violence (GBV). The rate of GBV in Somalia, including rape, is reported to be one of the highest in the world. In addition to improving the security of vulnerable women and girls, lanterns are used as a source of clean, safe and renewable energy in IDP settlements. Somali IDPs rely on this low-tech solution to improve the quality of their lives, such as monitoring the safe birth of babies and keeping their businesses open past sundown. 

IOM's gender-based violence intervention aims to protect, treat, care and support the most vulnerable populations in Somalia through an innovative approach and technologies as well as by building upon the strengths of beneficiaries.