United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Somalia has condemned the failure by the Federal Parliament to introduce the highly anticipated Sexual Offences Bill (SOB).
The organization condemned the move after reports emerged over the weekend showing that parliament was contemplating introducing a controversial bill instead.
In the new bill, child marriage and other retrogressive practices are now legally permissible.
However, SOB is a much different bill altogether. First, the cabinet of President Mohamed Farmaajo already adopted and approved it for debate in parliament.
Secondly, the Ministry of Women and Human Rights had submitted it to parliament for reading and subsequent passing into law in 2019.
UNFPA Somalia has faulted the controversial bill saying it has the potential for violating the rights of women and girls in the country.
Anders Thomsen, UNFPA’s Representative to Somalia, issued a statement saying the new bill is capable of exposing women and girls to more violence and deprivation.