Somalia Country Focus Report

Somalia’s civil society continues to operate within a highly fragile and deeply contested environment shaped by decades of armed conflict, state fragility, and an increasingly polarised political transition. While the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and various federal member states have sought to consolidate governance, the landscape in 2026 remains burdened by severe political instability, insecurity, and systemic social inequalities. These ongoing crises force Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to navigate an exceptionally complex operating space where they are frequently caught between competing authorities, unpredictable political dynamics, and a heavily securitised environment.

The federal system, though constitutionally established, has reached a critical and highly contested juncture. On 4 March 2026, the Federal Parliament approved major amendments to the Provisional Federal Constitution. However, this historic move has triggered a  constitutional and electoral conundrum, with key federal member states like Puntland and Jubaland rejecting the changes, and opposition coalitions denouncing the resulting delay of federal elections to 2027 as a threat to governance stability. Compounding these political disputes, persistent insecurity driven by Al-Shabaab militants and state-aligned security forces severely restricts civic freedoms. In militant-controlled territories, civic activities and public gatherings remain strictly prohibited, while even in government-controlled areas, the fear of terror attacks and aggressive state policing discourages public organising and protests.

Despite these compounding pressures, Somalia’s civil society remains uniquely vibrant and resilient, continuing to step in as a critical lifeline for humanitarian response, peacebuilding, and local advocacy. This is particularly evident in their rapid mobilisation to address severe climate change and displacement crises across the country. Nonetheless, the sector suffers from deep structural vulnerabilities, including a heavy reliance on unpredictable donor funding, administrative exhaustion, and fragmented local registration systems that vary drastically across different regions. Rights-based advocacy groups are also subjected to routine harassment and are frequently accused of promoting foreign agendas, which undermines their credibility among local communities and state authorities alike.

The media landscape remains highly unsafe, and the CIVICUS Monitor currently rates Somalia’s civic space as “Repressed”. Independent journalists face systemic censorship, arbitrary detentions, and physical violence from state actors. For instance, the Somali Genocide Watch has documented press freedom violations, including the tragic killing of a Mogadishu-based cameraman by police, the violent arrest of female journalists reporting on forced evictions, and sweeping regional reporting bans on security and political issues.

At the same time, Somalia’s rapid digital transformation has expanded opportunities for mobile-based coordination and virtual civic engagement. While the country has avoided nationwide internet shutdowns, online activists face growing digital surveillance, targeted harassment, and politically motivated account restrictions. The absence of mature, enforceable regulatory safeguards leaves civil society highly exposed to data insecurity and state-led digital crackdowns.

In sum, Somalia’s civil society environment remains defined by sharp contradictions: formal constitutional protections exist on paper, but in practice, civic actors operate under intense, continuous pressure from both state and non-state entities.