About Us
Our Story
Arraweelo Girls Power is a grassroots, young women-led feminist movement established in 2021 in Jigjiga, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia. Rooted in a region deeply affected by patriarchal norms and systemic gender inequalities, the movement emerged in response to the urgent challenges faced by women and girls—including gender-based violence (GBV), rape, early and forced marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), exclusion from decision-making spaces, and broader social injustices.
Arraweelo Girls Power envisions a world where every young woman and girl is safe, empowered, and free from violence, discrimination, and fear. We strive to build a future where girls and young women lead with confidence, dignity, and power—actively shaping their lives, communities, and society at large.
- We are young women-led feminist movement born to challenge gender inequality, violence, and exclusion.
- We proudly carry the name of Queen Arraweelo—a symbol of defiance and feminist leadership in Somali history.
- We’re nurturing a new generation of feminist leaders who are fearless, informed, and unapologetically vocal about the changes they want to see.
- We believe that real change comes from collective action, community-rooted feminism, and amplifying the voices of those most affected by injustice.
- Join us—your voice matters. Your leadership is needed. Together, we rise.
Our Vision & Mission
VISION
Arraweelo Girls Power envisions a just and liberated society where every young woman and girl in the Somali Regional State of Ethiopia is safe and empowered, living free from violence, discrimination, and fear, and fully able to shape her future and community with confidence, dignity, and power.
MISSION
Arraweelo Girls Power exists to mobilize, connect, and empower young women and girls in the Somali Regional State of Ethiopia through collective feminist action. We challenge systemic gender inequalities, confront harmful cultural practices, and amplify the leadership of those most affected by injustice. Through grassroots organizing, community education, survivor-centered public advocacy and awareness-raising, behavioral change, we are building a fearless generation of feminist leaders committed to justice, healing, and transformative change.
WHY AND HOW ARRAWEELO GIRLS POWER WAS FOUNDED
Arraweelo Girls Power was born out of a deep sense of urgency and collective frustration among a group of young Somali women who had either experienced or witnessed the harsh realities confronting women and girls in their communities. These included early and forced marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), widespread gender-based violence (GBV), and systemic exclusion from public decision-making spaces.
In 2021, a group of young women—mostly university students, community organizers, and GBV survivors—came together in Jigjiga, Somali Regional State, with a shared vision: to build a safe, empowering space where young women could support one another, advocate for their rights, and challenge the status quo. What began as informal conversations and peer support circles quickly evolved into structured gatherings where participants shared their lived experiences and began strategizing around collective feminist action.
Arraweelo Girls Power was founded without external funding or institutional support. Instead, the founders mobilized community resources—borrowing spaces for meetings, volunteering their time, and pooling small contributions to cover transportation and advocacy materials. This grassroots, community-centered approach ensured the movement remained firmly rooted in the lived realities and priorities of the young women it aimed to serve.
Establishing such a movement in one of Ethiopia’s most marginalized and under-resourced regions was no small feat. The Somali region, marked by political instability, humanitarian crises, and resistance to feminist ideals, posed immense logistical, financial, and safety challenges. The founders faced backlash from conservative actors, cultural stigma, and threats to their security. Yet these very barriers reaffirmed their conviction: no one else was coming to save them—they had to organize for themselves.
The name Arraweelo Girls Power honors the legendary Somali queen Arraweelo, a powerful symbol of defiance against patriarchy. For the founding members, invoking her legacy was both a radical act of resistance and a bold statement of hope—affirming that Somali girls and women deserve safety, dignity, and leadership in shaping their futures.
For many of the founders, creating Arraweelo was a transformative moment. It was the first time they felt collective strength, solidarity, and agency. It became a space where their pain was acknowledged, their voices heard, and their experiences recognized not as isolated incidents, but as part of a broader, unjust system they could challenge together.
What began as an act of survival and resistance has grown into a movement-building journey. Today, Arraweelo Girls Power stands as a beacon of hope for marginalized girls and young women in Jigjiga and beyond—driving feminist advocacy, community organizing, and survivor-centered support in a region too often overlooked by national and international actors.
Join Us
Be part of a fearless generation reclaiming power, resisting violence, and transforming communities from the ground up.