Name: Renz John Bryan C.

Espinosa Subject Name: Educ 3

Year & Section: BSEd Science 1-B Schedule: 1:30 – 3:00 MW

Magnifying Harmful Practices Regarding Gender:

Forced Marriage in Somalia

Somalia

Plotted in the eastern part of Africa, lies a country was known to the ancient Egyptians
as the Land of Punt. Somalia is named for the legendary father of the Somali people, Samaal
(or Samale). The culture of the country has managed to emerge from conflict largely
unscathed. As a part of their culture, the harmful practice of forced marriage is prevalent in
Somalia, with emphasis on Somaliland, Puntland, and South Central Somalia.

Why it should be done?

Arranged marriage is considered a norm in Somalia. In societal context, the decision

awaits on the family’s (i.e. the father's or male guardian's) choices or preferences in dealing
with the partner suitable to the daughter who is forced into marriage. The social pressure
to marry is tenacious and significant, especially in cases of the first marriage. For many
young women, it is virtually impossible to refuse marriage; as marrying and starting a
family are fundamental in society. This supports the fact the importance of building a
family to form a basic unit of society.

How it is done?

Among the nomadic groups in Somalian context, marriage between members of

neighboring clans are important for building alliances in order to secure access to water
and grazing areas. With this, preservation of inheritance and properties is greatly
emphasized. In addition, there is also a long tradition of peace agreements between
warring clans sealed with the exchange of brides between the parties.

Implications

Women who refuse to marry the chosen suitor by a family are being subjected to
violence. The extent of such violence is fairly unknown. Those who eventually break free
from the traditional social norms cannot expect help or protection from family or other
clan members. To clarify, murder of women is not socially accepted and so-called honor
killings of women have no traditional basis in Somalia.
Policies

Under the 2009 Constitution Article 35 of the constitution states:

 It is the duty of the government to protect and promote the rights of women
in consistence with Islamic religious norms.

 Women have the same rights as men, save the distinctions made by God between
the two sexes.

The 2001 Constitution recognizes international human rights instruments, including

the Beijing Platform for Action, the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) and Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Article 36 of the constitution states:

 The rights, freedoms and duties laid down in the Constitution are to be enjoyed
equally by men and women save for matters which are specifically ordained in
Islamic Sharia.

 The Government shall encourage, and shall legislate for the right of women to be
free of practices which are contrary to Sharia and which are injurious to their
person and dignity.

 Women have the right to own, manage, oversee, trade in, or pass on property in
accordance with the law.

Article 8 of the constitution states:

 All citizens of Somaliland shall enjoy equal rights and obligations before the law, and
shall not be accorded precedence on grounds of color, clan, birth, language, gender,
property, status, opinion etc.

How education can help promote or stop forced marriage?

Questions:
1. Why it should be done?
2. How it is done?
3. Implications
4. Policies
5. How education can help promote/stop Forced marriage?

(https://www.iexplore.com/articles/travel-guides/africa/somalia/history-and-culture)

https://landinfo.no/asset/1803/1/1803_1.pdf

https://preventforcedmarriage.org/forced-marriage-overseas-somalia/

http://www.undp.org/content/dam/rbas/doc/Women's%20Empowerment/Gender_Som
alia.pdf
Name: Renz John Bryan C. Espinosa Subject Name: Educ 3

Year & Section: BSEd Science 1-B Schedule: 1:30 – 3:00 MW

Magnifying Harmful Practices Regarding Gender:

Female Genital Mutilation in Somalia

Country

Somalia is one of the poorest countries in the world yet there still exists diverse
culture and practices. With this scope, thousands of women and girls have been exposed to
poverty and harmful cultural practices. An epitome of their perilous practices is the
prevailing concern on Female Genital Mutilation (FMG). The United Nations Children’s
Fund (UNICEF) estimates that FGM covers 98% of the total female population. The practice
has strong repercussions on the health of women and on the social, political and economic
fabric at the individual and community levels.

Why it should be done?

How it is done?

Female genital mutilation is a social ritual performed in 28 countries ranging from

Africa to the Middle East and some of the Islamic Asian countries. It is estimated that the
most severe form of the practice affects 130 million women, most of whom were
circumcised before puberty. The practice itself often takes place in remote rural areas by
untrained village midwives who use instruments such as knives, razors or even broken
glass. The instruments are often not sterile and the ritual is very often performed in
unsanitary conditions. In urban areas, some families use a doctor to perform the operation.
The operation involves the total removal of the clitoris, labia minora and severing of the
inner side of the labia majora. The sides of the labia majora are then sutured together,
leaving a small hole to allow urine and menstrual discharge to pass. The practice often
occurs without the use of anesthesia
https://www.28toomany.org/static/media/uploads/Law%20Reports/somalia_law_report
_(july_2018).pdf