This partners’ briefing paper builds up on the research brief of the Inclusion and Participation study, exploring how different stakeholders can contribute to achieving meaningful participation in Somalia’s local governance, particularly for marginalized groups. It consolidates three briefs designed for aid actors, donors and government officials with the aim of improving meaningful participation of marginalized groups in Somalia’s governance structures.
The paper explains how entrenched clan-based power systems, displacement dynamics and limited negotiation resources hinder inclusion for minority clans and internally displaced people. While formal governance forums exist, practical decisions often occur within informal, confidential power brokering systems that are not visible to external actors and are rarely inclusive.
The report stresses that full inclusion is unrealistic under current political, social and security conditions. Instead, stakeholders should work toward systems that are “inclusive enough” to allow marginalized communities access to essential rights such as free movement, property ownership, access to justice, and fair employment opportunities. It identifies employment access as the most significant factor for improving negotiation power and fostering self reliance.
Aid actors are encouraged to adopt contextualized approaches, regularly update analyses of shifting clan dynamics, simplify partnership processes for marginalized group organizations and invest in collective bargaining training. Donors are urged to provide flexible, adaptive funding, support advocacy to power brokers and incentivize government action through results based mechanisms. Government stakeholders are encouraged to improve understanding of participation, disseminate the benefits of inclusion and develop localized strategies based on varied conditions across cities such as Mogadishu, Kismayo and Baidoa.
Overall, coordinated action, resource investment and adaptive strategies are essential to create governance systems that enable marginalized groups to meaningfully engage and influence decisions that shape their lives.
