Somalia and Somaliland are usually presented as competitors in a zero-sum sovereignty dispute. This article develops a different proposition: internationally recognized Somaliland statehood could also advance Somalia's stabilization and state-building. The "buy one get one free" formulation describes a potential dual peace dividend rather than an automatic result. The study combines qualitative, theory-guided historical and policy analysis with in-depth expert interviews and focus group discussions. Five theoretical mechanisms are proposed. Recognition could clarify the territorial scope of Somalia's federal project, reduce political investment in forceful reunification and redirect resources toward reconciliation and public authority. It could also support security and economic cooperation with Hargeisa and reduce regional threat perceptions that complicate external support for Mogadishu. Interview participants linked the unresolved status dispute to constitutional ambiguity, nationalist mobilization, diplomatic tensions, and diverted state-building attention. The article therefore recommends a negotiated settlement covering borders, citizenship, public assets and debts, security cooperation, freedom of movement, and minority protections. If Somalia is unwilling or unable to accept separation, the international community should step in to mediate the deadlock . With these arrangements, recognition could strengthen Somaliland’s statehood and help Somalia develop a more coherent, legitimate, and governable federal state. Read more

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a critical protection challenge among displaced minors in Katsina Metropolis, where insecurity, poverty, and disrupted social structures heighten vulnerability. This study examines how survival-based coping strategies, including sexual exploitation, emerge from structural vulnerabilities such as economic hardship and weakened protection systems. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected from survivor narratives, interviews with community-based peace actors, and civil society organizations (CSOs) engaged in GBV prevention and response. Findings show that community-based peace actors play key roles in identifying at-risk minors, providing rescue and temporary protection, mediating disputes, and coordinating referrals to formal support services. Collaboration between community institutions and CSOs strengthens survivor pathways but is constrained by stigma, limited resources, and delays in formal mechanisms. The study argues that GBV prevention should be treated as a local peacebuilding priority. Key recommendations include strengthening community-based peace mechanisms, integrating GBV prevention into peace and security programming, expanding food, shelter, and psychosocial support for displaced girls, and enhancing coordination among government, donors, and local actors to sustain protective systems. Read more