Somaliland passes first law against rape
For the first time in its history, the self-declared republic of Somaliland has passed a law against rape.
In the past, a victim's family could force them to marry their rapist to avoid being shamed.
Rapists now stand to face at least 30 years in prison.
Somaliland
declared itself independent from Somalia in 1991 but is not
internationally recognised as a country. There is still no law against
rape in Somalia.
Somaliland's speaker of parliament, Bashe Mohamed Farah, told
the BBC that rape cases have risen and he hoped the new law would help
stop that trend.
"Nowadays we have seen even people carrying out gang rapes," he said.
"The main emphasis of the new act is to completely stop rape."
The new law has come in after years of lobbying by children and women's rights advocates.
Faisa Ali Yusuf of the Women's Agenda Forum told the BBC they have been waiting for such legislation for a very long time.
The
BBC's Anne Soy explains that the new law comes within the context of
the self-declared republic being keen to be seen internationally as a
viable democracy with functioning institutions.
BBC
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