
Tuesday December 17, 2024

Displaced families in Somalia carry firewood through a settlement after forced evictions uprooted thousands, leaving communities to rebuild their lives from scratch. © NRC
Mogadishu (HOL) — More than 143,500 people have been displaced across Somalia since January 2022 due to forced evictions, wiping out over $4.6 million in critical infrastructure, according to a new report by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).
The vast majority of these evictions — 82% — have occurred in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, where land tenure insecurity and unregulated urban redevelopment drive families out of informal settlements. The destruction of essential infrastructure, including schools, water points, and health facilities, has compounded the suffering of the displaced, most of whom were already fleeing drought and conflict.
The NRC's study, "Loss and Damage: Cost Analysis of Losses in Investments and Infrastructure due to Forced Evictions," paints a stark picture of economic and human devastation. Humanitarian investments, including latrines, schools, and health centers, have been systematically destroyed, forcing families into deeper poverty and instability.
In Mogadishu alone, $1.7 million worth of humanitarian infrastructure and $1.8 million in community-built facilities were lost. Across other regions like Baidoa, Kismayo, Garowe, and Bossaso, significant destruction of schools, Quranic centers, and water systems has undermined fragile support networks.
"This is more than just displacement. Families lose their homes, livelihoods, and a sense of security. Children drop out of school, and entire communities are left to rebuild from scratch," said Evelyn Aero, NRC's regional advisor.
The report highlights the disproportionate impact on Somalia's most vulnerable: women, children, and the elderly. Families forced to relocate often move to unsafe areas, where they face heightened risks of violence, disease, and psychological trauma. For children, the upheaval is particularly devastating, disrupting their education and pushing many into child labour or early marriage.
The consequences of eviction are felt most acutely in Mogadishu's crowded settlements, where temporary shelters are frequently torn down and rebuilt. The report estimates that 80% of evicted families can no longer afford to send their children to school due to high relocation costs.
The NRC identifies land tenure insecurity as the primary driver of forced evictions. IDPs often settle on private land without formal agreements, leaving them vulnerable to eviction as landowners pursue development projects or sell their property. Contributing factors include rapid urbanization, unregulated property markets, and recurring natural disasters like drought and floods.
"Land disputes and the lack of legal protections have created a vicious cycle, where families are repeatedly displaced with no hope of stability," said Shezane Kirubi, NRC's land and property specialist.
The report urges immediate steps to address the crisis, including:
Securing land tenure: Ensuring legal protections for displaced families to prevent repeated evictions.
Policy and legal reforms: Strengthening land governance systems to institutionalize sustainable solutions.
Coordinated response: Improving communication among humanitarian organizations to protect investments and ensure continuity of services.
While Somalia bears the brunt of forced evictions, the issue extends across the Horn of Africa. Cities such as Hargeisa and Bossaso face rising tensions over land disputes fuelled by rapid urbanization and limited governance. These challenges mirror Somalia's crisis, where displacement compounds already dire humanitarian conditions.
As Somalia endures a prolonged drought and persistent conflict, forced evictions add another layer of instability, particularly for the country's 3,400 informal IDP settlements. Without urgent reforms, the NRC warns that evictions will continue to erode humanitarian gains and deepen the suffering of displaced families.
"The cycle will persist unless we address the root causes. Families cannot rebuild their lives if the ground keeps shifting beneath them," Aero said.