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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Somaliland passes first bill against rape | Somaliland passes first bill against rape |
| (5 months later) | |
| For the first time in its history, the self-declared republic of Somaliland has passed a bill against rape in the lower house of its parliament. | |
| In the past, a victim's family could force them to marry their rapist to avoid being shamed. | In the past, a victim's family could force them to marry their rapist to avoid being shamed. |
| If the bill becomes law, rapists will stand to face up to 30 years in prison. | |
| Somaliland declared itself independent from Somalia in 1991 but is not internationally recognised as a country. There is still no specific law against rape in Somalia, although it is punishable through a penal code that recognises some sexual offences. | Somaliland declared itself independent from Somalia in 1991 but is not internationally recognised as a country. There is still no specific law against rape in Somalia, although it is punishable through a penal code that recognises some sexual offences. |
| The bill speaker of the lower house of parliament, Bashe Mohamed Farah, told the BBC that rape cases have risen and he hoped a new law would help stop that trend. | |
| "Nowadays we have seen even people carrying out gang rapes," he said. | "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 main emphasis of the new act is to completely stop rape." |
| The new law has come before parliament 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. | 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 new bill still needs approval from the upper house and the BBC's Anne Soy explains it comes within the context of the self-declared republic being keen to be seen internationally as a viable democracy with functioning institutions. | The new bill still needs approval from the upper house and the BBC's Anne Soy explains it comes within the context of the self-declared republic being keen to be seen internationally as a viable democracy with functioning institutions. |
| Correction 11 April 2018: This article has been amended to clarify that the bill had not yet passed into law and the length of prison sentence that those convicted may face. | Correction 11 April 2018: This article has been amended to clarify that the bill had not yet passed into law and the length of prison sentence that those convicted may face. |