Somali parliament takes step backward with new bill permitting forced marriage - FreedomUnited.org

Somali parliament takes step backward with new bill permitting forced marriage

  • Published on
    August 12, 2020
  • Written by:
    Miriam Karmali
  • Category:
    Forced Marriage
Somali girl

In a disappointing reversal of progress towards ending forced marriage in Somalia, the nation’s parliament last week introduced a new bill that would leave women and girls unprotected from gender-based violence.

The Sexual Intercourse bill replaces the Sexual Offenses bill that had been stuck in the lower house of Somalia’s parliament since 2018 and would have criminalized forced marriage, commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking of women and girls, amongst other abuses.

Instead, the new Sexual Intercourse bill allows girls who have reached puberty to be married and defines a forced marriage as one that the family as a whole has not consented to, rather than requiring the consent of the individual.

“We are deeply concerned with the amended Sexual Offences Bill as it sets a dangerous precedent in a country already marred by gender-based sexual violence […] This amended bill is harmful in nature to all Somalis but especially to women, girls and children as it does not protect from child marriage, forced marriage, rape and other forms of sexual abuse,” says Jabril Mohamed who started a petition calling on the Somali parliament to pass the Sexual Offenses bill.

The Thomson Reuters Foundation reports:

“This bill is about discussion. Every MP has his/her own saying on it. We want it passed after discussion,” Abdiwali Sheikh Ibrahim, deputy speaker of the lower house of parliament, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Ibrahim did not comment on why the new bill was drafted, but said it was a move taken by the ministries of justice, women and human development in consultation with Islamic scholars.

Ari Gaitanis, spokesman for the U.N. mission in Somalia (UNSOM), said it would be a “step backwards” for the rights of women and girls in Somalia. UNSOM has expressed its concern to the parliament speaker, he said.

“This proposed new bill, the Law on Sexual Intercourse Related Crimes, is deeply flawed and in serious breach of international standards,” Gaitanis said in a statement emailed to the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

“The original Sexual Offences bill, which the U.N. and so many others are calling for to be reintroduced, is a comprehensive bill which is more in conformity with internationally accepted standards.”

Freedom United supports the call to throw out the new Sexual Intercourse bill and urges world governments to take immediate action to tackle forced marriage. Add your name to over 90,000 global supporters calling for progress.

Freedom United is interested in hearing from our community and welcomes relevant, informed comments, advice, and insights that advance the conversation around our campaigns and advocacy. We value inclusivity and respect within our community. To be approved, your comments should be civil.

stop icon A few things we do not tolerate: comments that promote discrimination, prejudice, racism, or xenophobia, as well as personal attacks or profanity. We screen submissions in order to create a space where the entire Freedom United community feels safe to express and exchange thoughtful opinions.

guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

This week

Migrant workers jailed in Qatar over demands for owed wages

Five months on from the World Cup final, migrant workers continue to report exploitative labor practices and mistreatment at the hands of Qatari authorities. Three former security guards have been jailed in Qatar for four months following their repeated requests for unpaid wages from their employer, Stark Security Services. Though lauded by FIFA as an opportunity to improve Qatar’s treatment of migrant workers, workers who toiled to make the world’s

| Friday May 26, 2023

Read more