Nationwide Protests Erupt in Somalia Over Child Marriage Incident

The discovery of an eight-year-old girl in Somalia living with a man claiming to be her husband has sparked widespread condemnation and protests, highlighting significant concerns over child protection laws. The incident raises urgent questions regarding the legality and morality of child marriages in the country.

Outrage has erupted across Somalia following the revelation that an eight-year-old girl, who was missing for six months, was found living with a man claiming to be her husband. The girl was reported missing in the semi-autonomous Puntland region last September after being taken from her home in Bosaso by a female relative. While initially her whereabouts were uncertain, a video surfaced months later showing her reciting the Quran, prompting her family to search for her.

Upon locating the girl in the Carmo area, she was found living with a man named Sheikh Mahmoud, who initially claimed that he was merely teaching her the Quran. However, following the filing of legal complaints, he changed his narrative, asserting that he had married the girl with the consent of her father. This disturbing situation caught the attention of local authorities and became a focal point for protests in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu.

Critics of the situation have voiced their shock, particularly regarding the father's consent to the marriage and allegations of abduction. Fadumo Ahmed, chairperson of the Somali Women Vision Organisation, emphasized the gravity of the case and called for decisive legal actions. The Somali police intervened on March 25, forcibly removing the girl from Sheikh Mahmoud’s custody. She has since been reunited with her family, while an investigation into the case is underway.

The case has catalyzed discussions around child marriage and child protection laws in Somalia, where the societal acceptance of child marriages remains a pressing issue. According to a United Nations report, 35% of women aged 20 to 24 were married before the age of 18, though this figure has decreased from 45% in 2017. Such marriages are often rooted in poverty, insecurity, and cultural traditions that ignore the age of girls in considerations for marriage.

In response to ongoing concerns regarding child rights and protection, Somalia's Ministry of Women and Human Rights submitted a draft child rights bill to parliament in 2023, which faced objection and has yet to be reintroduced. This incident underscores the complexities surrounding child marriage in Somalia, as activists continue to advocate for legal reforms to protect vulnerable children.