Daami Youth Development Organization Opens Two-Day Digital Security & Resilience Training under the Hivos Project
By Goth Mohamed Goth
Hargeisa – Daami Youth Development Organization officially opened a two-day Digital Security & Resilience Training this morning, 21 January 2026, targeting civil society networks and aimed at strengthening the safety, resilience, and operational capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs), human rights defenders (HRDs), journalists, community-based organizations, and vulnerable minority groups.
The training is being implemented under the Hivos Project and is facilitated by a Digital Security Specialist, providing participants with practical and context-sensitive knowledge to address the growing digital risks faced by civil society actors. As organizations increasingly depend on digital tools for advocacy, documentation, and service delivery, the training focuses on threats such as surveillance, phishing, account hijacking, data breaches, online harassment, and doxxing—risks that disproportionately affect vulnerable and marginalized communities.
The training was officially opened by Mr. Muhuydin , the Director of the Department at the Ministry of Justice, who emphasized the importance of digital security in protecting human rights, access to justice, and the rule of law. In his opening remarks, he highlighted the importance of collaboration between government institutions and civil society to promote a safe, inclusive, and rights-based digital environment.
In his welcoming remarks, Mr. Mahmoud Abdi , the Director of Daami Youth Development Organization underscored the urgency of building digital resilience among civil society networks, particularly those working with vulnerable minority groups. He noted that digital security is essential not only for organizational protection but also for safeguarding beneficiaries, sensitive data, and community trust.
Mr. Mohamed , the Director General of Somaliland SONYO Organizations also addressed participants, emphasizing the critical role of youth-led and network-based organizations in mainstreaming digital security practices across their work. He encouraged participants to integrate digital safety measures into organizational policies and daily operations.
The executive director of the Somaliland Youth Organization (SONYO) told participants,”As we live in the digital age,Cybersecurity is a plan that requires a set of practices, tools, infrastructure, and most importantly qualified human resources specifically trained for the purpose. In contemporary times, every government and private sector needs to invest in securing its vital data as a nation as well as the data and identity of each and every one of its citizens. This requires an internal technical capacity building at the government level, but also developing rules and regulations to govern the IT security.
Remarks were also delivered by Mr. Rodwaan ,the Director of the Department from the Ministry of Trade, who highlighted the relevance of digital security for organizational sustainability, accountability, and effective service delivery.
Therefore , I would like to commend the Daami Youth Development Organization (DYDO) for facilitating the specialised training in helping develop the cybersecurity capabilities( Youth) they need to develop their own security professionals. The skills we are teaching over the days are the key foundations on which all cybersecurity careers are built.
The two-day training, running from 21–22 January 2026, will cover key topics including the digital threat landscape, risk assessment and threat modeling, secure communications, device and data protection, social media safety, organizational digital security, incident response, digital safety for field work, and digital wellbeing. Strong emphasis will be placed on Do No Harm principles, ensuring safety, confidentiality, informed consent, and the inclusion of vulnerable and marginalized groups.
Through this initiative under the Hivos Project, Daami Youth Development Organization reaffirms its commitment to empowering civil society networks and vulnerable communities with the tools and knowledge needed to operate safely, ethically, and effectively in an increasingly digital world.
Training Program: First Cohort Digital Security & Resilience Training, 50 participants
Project Title: Enhancing Digital Security and Resilience for Minority and Youth Rights Defenders in Somaliland
Project Code: #5406
Funding Partner: HIVOS / Digital Defenders Partnership (DDP) – Regional Partnership Fund (Africa) 2025
Digital Security & Resilience Training Workshop
Training Title: Capacity Building and Digital Resilience Training for Minority and Youth Rights Defenders
Location: Hargeisa, Somaliland
Dates: 21–22 January 2026
Venue: Imprial Hotel, Hargeisa/ Somaliland
