The Programme Development Manual serves as a comprehensive operational guide for organisations working to strengthen the meaningful participation of marginalized groups in Somalia’s humanitarian, development and governance systems. Grounded in findings from the Somalia Inclusivity Index and participation research, it provides practical, field tested tools that move inclusion from theory to daily practice.
The manual outlines the full programme cycle: strategy, design, implementation, MEAL, human resources and procurement. It presents structured checklists, decision trees, templates and activity menus to help actors identify exclusion drivers, set representation targets, integrate barrier removal strategies, and design participation mechanisms that reflect Somalia’s complex socio-political landscape. It emphasizes context specificity given the influence of clan hierarchies, displacement dynamics, religious authority and non-state actors.
Programme teams are guided through inclusive diagnostics, stakeholder and power mapping, risk assessment, conflict sensitivity, adaptive management and accountability structures. MEAL components ensure real time tracking of representation and participation outcomes using the Inclusivity Index, disaggregated indicators, feedback loops and community forums. HR and procurement sections detail how organisations can recruit inclusively, diversify suppliers, and strengthen workforce and economic participation of marginalized communities.
Best practice cases from NRC, Concern Worldwide, GREDO and MCAN illustrate successful inclusion approaches such as inclusive community action plans, minority led coalition building, equitable recruitment, and participation-oriented implementation models. Overall, the manual aims to institutionalize inclusion, support sustained behaviour change, and promote rights-based participation for IDPs, minority clans, women, youth and persons with disabilities across Somalia’s governance and programme environments.
