Living together in Djibouti

Djibouti's Constitution establishes equality before the law without distinction based on language, origin, race, sex or religion. Arabic and French are the official languages, and Islam is the religion of the State. Freedom of thought, conscience, religion, worship and opinion applies within the law. The Constitution also protects expression, association and trade-union freedom subject to legal formalities, protects the inviolability of communications subject to law, and recognizes citizens' freedom of movement and settlement subject to legal limits. Regular foreigners receive constitutional protection for their person and property, while the home and property are protected under the applicable law. Neighbourhood life is organized through quartiers, arrondissements, communes and régions. Djibouti-Ville has five arrondissements. The first includes quartiers 1, 2, 3 and 4; the second includes quartiers 5, 6, 7, 7 bis, Arhiba and Stade; the third includes Ambouli; the fourth includes PK20, Balbala 04 and PK12; and the fifth includes Balbala 05, Hablayeh and Doraleh. These areas combine commerce, administration, housing, port and industrial activity, green spaces and military zones, so local access and responsibilities can differ. The Préfet, sous-préfets and territorial administration coordinate public functions. The DAGR organizes quartiers and deals with local structures, including Okals, notables and chefs de quartier. An Okal or notable can help mediate a daily neighbourhood disagreement or direct a resident to the right authority. A matter that cannot be settled locally can move to the arrondissement or prefecture. No unified national mediation hotline or e-service has been evidenced, and customary or informal mediation remains common. The Police Nationale, under the Direction Générale de la Police Nationale (DGPN), handles public order, protection of people and property, and crime response. Protection civile is the relevant channel for a civil-risk emergency. A local neighbourhood matter normally starts with a chef de quartier, Okal or notable when there is no immediate danger. A crime, serious threat or urgent risk should go directly to the police or the responsible emergency service instead of waiting for local mediation. The Constitution permits association and civic participation subject to formalities. The DAGR receives association applications and issues récépissés, while the Ministry of the Interior registers and monitors associations. Registration fees and processing times are not publicly established in the available information. A proposed update to the association framework was discussed by the Conseil des ministres in 2024, while the older 1901 framework continued to be cited; the applicable legal position should therefore be confirmed when an association is formed. Political parties may not identify themselves by race, ethnicity, sex, religion, sect, language or region. Public-road gatherings, processions, marches and demonstrations require express authorization under Ordonnance n°77-013. The ordinance text provides penalties of 15 days to 6 months of imprisonment for unauthorized participants. The current application form, responsible operational authority, fees and processing time are not published in the available information, so organizers should verify the procedure with the relevant authority before announcing an event. Djibouti's formal non-discrimination rules coexist with practical inclusion needs affecting refugees, women, children, people with disabilities and migrants. The 2024 third General Population and Housing Census, known as RGPH-3, included refugees and asylum-seekers and mapped quartiers, homes and community infrastructure. Peaceful relations between refugee and host communities are supported through community and economic inclusion activities. Around 32,000 forcibly displaced people were recorded in 2026, including approximately 23,000 refugees and 8,000 asylum-seekers, mainly from Somalia, Ethiopia and Yemen. About 85% live in Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl and Markazi, while the remainder live in urban areas including Djibouti City. Access to services and protection is more concentrated in the capital and weaker in rural or frontier areas. ONARS, UNHCR, community committees and local authorities are involved in refugee and host-community pathways. Refugees and asylum-seekers are included in national systems such as education, health and employment, but the practical process and timing can vary by location and case. Protection pathways also involve the Ministry of Women and Family, UNICEF, ONARS, UNHCR and community committees for gender-based violence, child protection and related risks. Around three in ten children are exposed to violence, and national FGM prevalence is reported at 70.7% among girls and women. Immediate danger requires an emergency or police response rather than informal mediation. Digital coexistence is governed by privacy, confidentiality and lawful processing requirements. Code Numérique n°19/AN/23/9ème L, dated 18 September 2025, regulates the collection, storage, use and processing of personal data and applies to local authorities and people in Djibouti. Law n°195/AN/25/9ème L, dated 14 December 2025, established the Autorité Nationale de Cybersécurité (ANC) under the Presidency and DGSN. The ANC covers cybersecurity, the national computer emergency response function DJ-CERT, manipulation and disinformation, child protection online and accessibility for people with disabilities. Decree n°2023-109 provides reporting and removal measures through internet service providers, the CNC and ANSIE for illicit content and risks to minors. Public reporting service levels and fees have not been published. Djibouti has no identified standardized nationwide service or special roommate regime dedicated to shared housing and coexistence. Tenancy, property and housing-contract questions belong primarily to the housing field. Everyday shared-living disputes therefore depend on the applicable agreement, local mediation and general legal or public-order channels rather than a single national shared-housing institution. Association, neighbourhood, refugee-support and digital-safety procedures likewise have no uniform published fee or response deadline; local administrative confirmation is needed when a concrete application or complaint is made.