In Somalia as well as in Africa and other developing countries, women’s ideas are not valued and their initiatives do not carry as much weight as those of men. This becomes an issue when communities are given responsibility to decide how local resources will be managed and or how conflict will be resolved. If they cannot participate in decision-making, they may not engage in executing plans that will have a positive, long term benefit to preserving natural resources and peace. Women are fundamental to any lasting peace in Somalia, argues this article.