Somalia is grappling with the severe impact of climate change, including a threefold increase in severe climatic events since 1990, which has accelerated the frequency and severity of droughts, along with the ever-lasting conflicts and political instability that Somalia has been going through for the last thirty years. The marginalized communities, such as women, youth, minorities, disabled people, and climate-displaced people, who are disproportionately affected by climate change and bear an unfair burden from climate crises, are not well included and engaged in the design and implementation of climate action strategies and responses that are intended to mitigate the impact of climatic shocks. The government and decision-makers underestimate the importance of inclusive and participatory processes in making climate-focused policies and often overlook the meaningful inclusion of marginalized communities in the process of making and implementing climate policies. There is a lack of understanding how this might lead climate-related actions to be unjust and unresponsive to the needs of the community groups that are most affected by climate change.

To address these challenges, Bareed Platform Somalia is working with different stakeholders such as government, UN, NGOs, civil society, academics, research, and private sector, and also the marginalized communities, to adopt meaningful participatory approaches and practices that engage marginalized people, such as women, youth, minorities, disabled people, and climate-displaced people, throughout the process of introducing and implementing climate action policies and regulations.

This is expected to contribute to development of climate-focused policies in Somalia that broadens public participation and involves all communities, especially marginalized ones, in the process of crafting policies that are more just, equitable, and responsive to community needs.