Somalia has a complex political and social environment that has been shaped by decades of conflict and instability. Despite ongoing efforts to rebuild the country, political instability and weak governance institutions have hampered efforts in building a democratic and stable society.
Citizen engagement is vital for ensuring that the voices and needs of citizens are represented in governance processes and provides opportunities for citizens to hold their leaders accountable. However, citizen engagement in Somalia faces numerous challenges that contribute to a sense of disempowerment among many citizens, particularly those from marginalized communities.
In this policy brief, we explore the barriers to engaging citizens to inform efforts to bridge the gap between policy-makers and local Somali citizens, drawing insights from our research experience and experts. There is a notable lack of community awareness regarding the importance of citizen engagement and participation and the understanding of the role of government in Somalia, resulting in low levels of engagement between citizens and the local government.