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Widespread outrage has erupted in Somalia after an eight-year-old girl, missing for six months, was discovered living with a man who claimed to be her husband.
The girl disappeared last September from the semi-autonomous Puntland region. Her family later learned that her father had consented to her marriage to an adult man named Sheikh Mahmoud.
Security forces raided the man’s home last week after he locked himself in a room with the child. The incident has sparked protests in Mogadishu and reignited debates over child protection laws, as Somalia currently has no minimum legal age for marriage.
“What’s more shocking than the tragedy itself is the allegation of abduction and the fact that her family had no idea where she was for months,” said Fadumo Ahmed, chairperson of the Somali Women Vision Organisation.
According to the girl’s uncle, she was taken from her home in Bosaso by a female relative, who claimed she was escorting her to visit another uncle. Months later, a video of the girl reciting the Quran surfaced online, prompting her family to begin searching for her.
They eventually found her in Carmo, living with Sheikh Mahmoud. At first, he claimed he was only teaching her the Quran, but after legal complaints were filed, he admitted to marrying her with her father’s approval.
When questioned, Sheikh Mahmoud justified the marriage by citing Islamic traditions, though many Somali scholars have strongly opposed his claims. He refused to renounce the marriage even after legal intervention.
Puntland police and human rights officials intervened on March 25, removing the girl from the man’s custody. Authorities confirmed that she has since been reunited with her family, and an investigation is underway.
Child marriage remains a serious issue in Somalia, where a 2020 UN report found that 35% of women aged 20-24 had married before turning 18. The practice is fueled by poverty, insecurity, and cultural norms that overlook a girl’s age in marriage decisions.
A child rights bill was submitted to Somalia’s parliament in 2023 to address the issue, but it was sent back after MPs objected to certain provisions. While the bill is expected to be reintroduced, no clear timeline has been set.
