Child marriage in Somalia

 The Guardian has the story:

'A race against time': the new law putting Somalia's children at risk of marriage: Child marriage in the country has increased during coronavirus – and now a newly-tabled bill would allow children as young as 10 to marry   by Moulid Hujale

"According to the latest government figures, 34% of Somali girls are married before they reach 18, and 16% of them before their 15th birthday.

"While children are married off for different reasons, such as the economic benefit of a dowry, and an increase in child marriage cases has been reported during the coronavirus pandemic, early marriage is rooted in Somali culture. An old Somali saying goes: “Gabadh ama god hakaaga jirto ama gunti rag,” which loosely translates as “a girl should either be married or in a grave”.

"Marriage under 18 is not illegal, although Somalia’s constitution prohibits it and the country is signed up to several international treaties promising to tackle it. In July 2014, the government signed a charter committing to end child marriage by 2020. But in August, the Somali parliament tabled a controversial bill that would allow a child to be married once they reached puberty, which can mean 10 years old. The sexual intercourse related crimes bill would also allow marriage if parents consented. The UN has called the bill “deeply flawed”.