Displacement and Vulnerable communities in Kismaayo, Southern Somalia
This paper is based on the findings of field research on
livelihoods, protection and IDPs in Kismaayo and the Lower
Juba Valley, conducted in May 2003 under the auspices of
OCHA-Somalia. The research had three main aims:
• to obtain a clear understanding of the situation of IDPs and other vulnerable communities in Kismaayo, and the issues that they faced; • to obtain a clear understanding of the operating environment in Kismaayo and the areas from which the displaced originated; and • to develop an operational plan to better protect and assist the internally displaced and other vulnerable groups. Crucially, this plan was elaborated within a livelihoods and protection framework. Ideas for putting the framework into practice were initially developed by the research team, but this work also draws upon plenary discussions during a workshop in Nairobi on 11 June 2003 to disseminate and discuss these findings, sponsored by OCHA-Somalia.
