Somalia is experiencing widespread outrage after an eight-year-old girl who had been missing for six months was found living with a man who claimed to be her husband. The girl was reported missing by her family in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland last September. It later emerged that the girl’s father had consented to her marriage to an adult named Sheikh Mahmoud. Security forces had to force their way into the man’s house to rescue the girl. This incident has sparked anger on social media and public protests in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, and has reignited debates about child protection laws in the country, where there is currently no minimum legal age for marriage. Fadumo Ahmed, the chairperson of the Somali Women Vision Organisation, expressed her shock and called for the responsible authorities to take the necessary legal action. The girl was taken from her home in the city of Bosaso last September by a female relative who claimed she was escorting the child to visit another uncle. However, a video surfaced online months later, showing the girl reciting the Quran. Her family subsequently launched a search for her and discovered she was living with Sheikh Mahmoud. Initially, Sheikh Mahmoud claimed he was only teaching the girl the Quran, but later admitted to marrying her with her father’s consent. When questioned about his justification for marrying an eight-year-old, Sheikh Mahmoud referred to the traditions of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad and the Shafi’i school of thought, which allow child marriage. Despite opposition from numerous Somali Islamic scholars, Sheikh Mahmoud maintained that he would not abandon the marriage. Puntland’s police and human rights authorities intervened on 25 March and removed the girl from the man’s home after her family filed a complaint. She is now back with her family, and an investigation into the case has been launched. Child marriage remains a prevalent issue in Somalia, with data showing that 35% of women between the ages of 20 and 24 were married before the age of 18. Factors such as poverty, insecurity, and traditional customs contribute to this rate. In an attempt to address this issue, Somalia’s Ministry of Women and Human Rights submitted a draft child rights bill to parliament in 2023, but it was sent back after MPs objected to certain provisions. The bill is expected to be reintroduced, but there is no clear timeline for this.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0l0wwywn7no