Saturday November 30, 2019
BURAO (HOL) - A 13-year-old boy and a girl of similar age ‘tied the knot’ Friday in Burao in Somaliland to become a husband and wife generating widespread reaction in the social media.
Pictures circulating in the social media show the visibly young teenagers after their supposed
wedding.
A post in a Facebook page where the pictures first surfaced indicates the two wedded in a ceremony attended ‘by several people from within and in the outskirts of Burco’.
The post indicates the two children are both aged 13 years.
According to Somaliland Constitution, adulthood starts from the age of 15 though international
standards define an adult as someone of the 18 and above. The Federal Constitution has aligned
itself with the internationally recognized age of 18.
Despite the legal framework, underage marriage in Somalia is still common as was the case
witnessed in Burco. According to a report by Save the Children in 2017, early marriage
prevalence in Somalia stands at 14% with higher rates recorded in south and central parts of the country.
