ACCESS TO JUSTICE BY VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN SOMALIA: CASE STUDY OF MOGADISHU
Keywords:
Access to Justice, Vulnerable Populations, Somalia, Mogadishu, Legal Pluralism, Legal Empowerment, Human Rights, Gender-Based ViolenceAbstract
Purpose of Study: This study examines barriers to access to justice among internally displaced persons (IDPs), women, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Mogadishu, Somalia. It synthesizes evidence on structural, legal, and socio-cultural constraints, explores the interaction of formal, customary, and religious justice systems, and identifies gaps and priorities for inclusive sector reform.
Methodology: The study used a desktop narrative review of peer-reviewed academic literature, reports from international organizations, and policy documents. Sources were identified through academic databases and institutional websites using terms related to justice, Somalia, legal pluralism, displacement, gender-based violence, and disability. Eligible English-language materials were assessed and were then thematically synthesized.
Findings: The review indicates that access to formal courts is constrained by distance, cost, insecurity, corruption, limited legal aid, and institutional weaknesses. Reports provide estimates of formal-court access of 15% for IDPs, 10% for women, and 5% for PWDs, while noting that sources use differing methods. Customary Xeer and Sharia mechanisms remain used because they are familiar, accessible, and culturally embedded, yet may lack oversight and procedural safeguards. For sexual and gender-based violence, the material reports low formal prosecution, frequent informal settlement, underreporting, and case withdrawal linked to stigma, retaliation, and family pressure. Evidence on disability and intersecting vulnerabilities remains limited.
Conclusion: The review concludes that access to justice in Mogadishu is shaped by structural exclusion and social power. Improving access requires strengthening courts and legal aid, making services disability-inclusive, supporting survivor-centered responses to violence, and engaging customary and religious providers with human rights safeguards. Intersectional research and disaggregated evidence are needed.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23359055
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