Since 2015, an annual average of more than 155,000 individuals have been evicted across Somalia. Mogadishu and Baidoa are so far the worst affected towns, with thousands of people being evicted from both public and private infrastructure. Forced evictions in Somalia disproportionately affect internally displaced persons (IDPs). These evictions are often unlawful and violate the full range of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights enshrined in various international instruments. IDPs are unable to access and assert their basic rights, mainly due to insecure land tenure arrangements in IDP settlements. This has interrupted the ongoing reintegration processes in Somalia as well as undermined collective efforts to assist IDPs accelerate their path to recovery and attain durable solutions.

This one-pager brief outlines key recommendations that promote an inclusive and rights-based approach to evictions, with a view to support a long-term solution for IDPs at risk. There is an urgent need to strengthen the regulatory environment for forced evictions in Somalia and measures to address social exclusion of marginalized communities in order to mitigate the needs and risks of IDPs.

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