The situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Somalia,
particularly rape victims, remains a critical human rights issue. Many
IDP women and girls face sexual violence, with limited access to justice
and support services. Gender-based violence (GBV) against women and
girls is a global pandemic that affects 1 in 3 women in their lifetime.
Somalia is one of the leading countries in human rights violations and
has one of the highest rates of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV)
worldwide. Such violence is more prevalent among women and girls in
internally displaced persons (IDP) camps who lack livelihood and civil
protections.
Sexual violence in IDP camps is widespread, often committed by armed
groups, security forces, and even camp managers.
Many cases of rape and gender-based violence (GBV) go unreported due to
stigma, fear of retaliation, and lack of trust in the justice system.
According to Save the Children report in Garowe Puntland 13-year-old
girl was raped by a group of armed men outside her home last February
2023. The child was pulled from her home and attacked by multiple men.
Similarly 14-year-old girl living in a displacement camp in Mogadishu
was raped in the shelter where she lives as she was recovering from an
epilepsy attack in late August.
Barriers to Justice
Customary law (Xeer) and Sharia law are often used to resolve rape
cases through forced marriages or compensation rather than punishing
perpetrators.
•The formal justice system is weak, and many survivors lack legal
representation or face intimidation.
•Victim-blaming and societal stigma discourage women from seeking
justice
Government & Legal Reforms
•Somalia has drafted a Sexual Offenses Bill, but it has not been fully
implemented due to political opposition.
•The lack of enforcement of laws allows perpetrators to go unpunished.
•Some regions have started prosecuting rape cases, but progress is slow.
The rape crisis in Somalia remains a major human rights issue. While
some steps have been taken, impunity and cultural barriers still prevent
justice for survivors. More legal enforcement, survivor support, and
awareness campaigns are needed to end sexual violence in the Somalia
