Uptake in Action: Promoting Disability-Inclusive WASH through Inclusive WASH Training in Somalia and Somaliland  

From 16 to 18 September and 23 to 25 September 2025, the Phase 4 – Leave no one behind! project team in Somalia and Somaliland conducted three-day inclusive Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) trainings in Mogadishu and Hargeisa. The sessions brought together 33 participants, including representatives from Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), government institutions, and national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), to strengthen inclusive practices in humanitarian WASH programming. 

The three-day sessions aimed to strengthen the capacity of WASH actors to integrate disability inclusion into their programmes. Participants explored the five core modules developed by the Disability Reference Group (DRG). These modules covered key topics, including the concept of disability; an overview of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines on the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action; accessibility; universal design and reasonable accommodation; the four Must-Do Actions (MDAs); and inclusive project cycle management. 

This was the first inclusive WASH training organized for WASH actors in Somalia and Somaliland, creating a valuable space for engagement between WASH stakeholders and OPDs. OPD representatives highlighted the key challenges persons with disabilities face in accessing WASH services, while WASH actors identified practical steps and inclusive approaches to strengthen accessibility within their interventions. 

The training fostered active exchanges between participants, OPDs, and facilitators, creating a collaborative learning environment. OPD representatives shared their lived experiences and practical challenges in accessing WASH services, while WASH actors reflected on how their organizations could strengthen inclusion in future programmes. Facilitators supported the process by linking the discussions to real-life examples drawn from the training modules. This mutual learning approach deepened participants’ understanding of inclusive practices and reinforced the importance of partnership with OPDs in humanitarian action. 

As a result of the inclusive WASH training, participants increased their understanding of the barriers persons with disabilities face in accessing WASH services. They also gained practical tools and strategies to address these barriers and committed to applying inclusive practices in their ongoing and future programmes. The training further provided an opportunity for networking and collaboration between WASH actors and OPDs to advance disability-inclusive humanitarian response. 

Hodan Ahmed from the Ministry of Water, Resource, and Development (MOWRD) said: 

“At the beginning of the training, I did not know about disability inclusion; I even selected ‘None’ in the pre-training assessment. But now, I can confidently say that I can engage with and promote disability inclusion in our programming. This was a very valuable learning experience.” 

Hussein A. Mohamed from ALIGHT shared: 

“On behalf of the sub-national WASH Cluster, I believe this training came at exactly the right time, given the pressing challenges we face in implementing inclusive WASH interventions. I have witnessed how the sessions have deepened the understanding of WASH actors on disability inclusion, and I am confident that this knowledge will translate into practical, inclusive actions on the ground. We now expect to see real progress in ensuring that persons with disabilities have equal and meaningful access to humanitarian WASH services.” 

Text by Aden Ismail, HI  Somalia & Somaliland