Young people from across Mogadishu's districts gathered this week for a two-day youth forum on local governance, calling for a bigger say in how their neighbourhoods are planned and run.The forum brought together university students, recent graduates, young traders and members of sports and volunteer groups. Sessions covered how district councils work, how budgets are decided and how residents can raise concerns with local officials.<h2>Proposals from participants</h2>Participants proposed reserving seats for young people on district development committees and holding regular town hall meetings where youth can question officials directly. Many also called for more vocational training linked to local jobs. "Young people are the majority in this city, but we are rarely in the room when decisions are made," said a graduate who helped organise one of the sessions.Several young women spoke about the extra barriers they face in taking part in public life and asked for mentoring programmes that connect them with women already working in local administration.The forum also included practical workshops on writing proposals, speaking at public meetings and using social media responsibly to raise community issues. Participants said they left with contacts in other districts and plans to set up local youth committees.Organisers said they would present the forum's recommendations to district authorities and follow up within six months to see which had been taken forward.This is demo content for testing the Warar website. It is not a real news report.

A youth forum in Mogadishu brought together students, graduates and community groups to call for a bigger role for young people in local councils.

Youth forum calls for wider role for young people in local d

Participants proposed youth seats on district committees and regular town halls where young people can question officials directly.

Youth forum calls for wider role for young people in local decision-making

A parliamentary committee has begun a tour of coastal towns to hear from fishermen, traders and local officials about a draft fisheries law that is expected to come before lawmakers later this year.The draft covers fishing licences, closed seasons to protect breeding stocks, standards for fish markets and the role of local cooperatives. Committee members said they wanted the law to reflect the needs of the people who depend on the sea for a living.<h2>What fishers want</h2>At meetings held on beaches and in community halls, small-scale fishermen asked for simpler and cheaper licences, as well as support for cold storage so that their catch does not spoil before it reaches markets. Several speakers also called for clear rules on where large boats can operate."We are not against rules. We want rules that protect the fish and protect the small fisherman," said the chair of a fishing cooperative who attended one of the sessions.Women who process and sell fish also spoke at the meetings, asking for clean landing sites with shade, running water and space to dry and store the catch. Committee members said the needs of market workers would be reflected in the section on fish handling standards.The committee said it would publish a summary of the views collected and amend the draft before it is formally tabled. Members also promised to return to coastal communities to explain the final version once it has been agreed.This is demo content for testing the Warar website. It is not a real news report.

A parliamentary committee is visiting coastal towns to gather views on a draft fisheries law covering licences, fishing seasons and small-scale fishers.

Parliamentary committee consults coastal towns on draft fish

Fishermen asked lawmakers to protect breeding grounds and to make licences cheaper and easier to obtain for small boat owners.

Parliamentary committee consults coastal towns on draft fisheries law

A local council has opened a series of public budget hearings, inviting residents, traders, women's groups and young people to comment on how the city's revenue should be spent in the coming year.Council officials presented a draft spending plan at community halls in several districts, setting out proposed budgets for roads, sanitation, markets and staff. Copies were also displayed at district offices for residents who could not attend.<h2>Drainage and rubbish top the list</h2>Many speakers called for more spending on drainage, saying that roads in their neighbourhoods turn into rivers whenever it rains. Others asked for regular rubbish collection and street lighting in newer districts. "We pay market fees every day, so we want to see where the money goes," said a trader at one session.A council member said the hearings were meant to build trust and that comments would be considered before the budget is put to a vote. He added that the council would publish a short summary of the final budget in Somali so that residents could follow it.Women's groups at the hearings asked for safer, better-lit market areas and for public toilets near busy trading streets. Youth representatives called for a share of the budget to support sports fields and vocational training, saying young people needed more than promises.Civil society groups welcomed the move but urged the council to report back regularly on spending during the year, not only when the budget is being drawn up.This is demo content for testing the Warar website. It is not a real news report.

A city council has opened public budget hearings, inviting residents, traders and youth groups to comment on how local revenue should be spent.

City council opens public budget hearings as residents ask f

Residents used the sessions to push for spending on drainage, street lighting and rubbish collection in their neighbourhoods.

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