Outrage has erupted throughout Somalia following the shocking revelation of an eight-year-old girl, previously missing for six months, found living with a man who asserted he had married her. The girl's family reported her disappearance last September in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland. Recent investigations disclosed that the girl's father had purportedly consented to her marriage to an adult man named Sheikh Mahmoud.
Last week, security forces acted swiftly, surrounding Sheikh Mahmoud's residence and breaking in as he had locked himself and the girl in a room. The alarming situation has ignited protests in Mogadishu and numerous discussions on social media regarding the country's child protection laws, which currently lack a minimum legal marriage age.
Fadumo Ahmed, chair of the Somali Women Vision Organisation, expressed her shock over the circumstances, highlighting the allegations of abduction and the family’s prolonged ignorance of her situation. The girl's uncle disclosed that she was taken from her home in Bosaso by a female relative on the pretext of visiting another uncle. However, months later, a concerning video surfaced online showing the girl reciting the Quran, which incited her family to search for her.
Eventually, they located the girl in the Carmo area, residing with Sheikh Mahmoud, who initially claimed he was merely teaching her the Quran. Following legal complaints, he altered his statement, asserting he had married the girl with her father’s consent. When questioned about this justification, Sheikh Mahmoud referenced the traditions of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.
Despite significant opposition from numerous Islamic scholars in Somalia regarding his actions, Sheikh Mahmoud remains adamant about not dissolving the marriage. The Puntland police and human rights authorities intervened on March 25, removing the girl from his custody upon receiving a complaint from her family. She has now been reunited with her relatives.
In response to this situation, authorities have initiated an investigation. Child marriage remains a prevalent issue in Somalia, with reports indicating that 35% of women aged 20 to 24 were married before 18, according to data from the United Nations Population Fund combined with the Somali government. The rate of such marriages is exacerbated by poverty, insecurity, and traditional practices that often overlook age.
Efforts to address this matter include the submission of a child rights bill to the Somali parliament in 2023, though the proposal faced opposition and was returned for revisions, lacking a clear timeline for reintroduction.
