Islamist militants threaten to impose Sharia law in Somalia

As Islamist militants capture her city and vow to impose Sharia law, a Somali women’s rights activist has spoken out saying she has nothing to fear.

There have been reports of heavy fighting and looting on the streets of Baidoa since Monday when the militant group, al-Shabab captured the east city - one of the last strongholds of the fragile transitional government. Islamist groups now control most of southern Somalia which has been without an effective central government since the president was overthrown in 1991.

Marian Zeila, is chairperson of the Somali Media Women's Association, based in the central city, where Al-Shabab has said it will introduce the strict religious law. She has nothing to fear about Sharia, itself, she told a BBC correspondent, but much to fear about the way the code is interpreted.“I'm concerned that the al-Shabab militants will prevent me from carrying out the work I do here in Baidoa - fighting gender-based violence,” she said. “The fact that al-Shabab are bringing in Sharia law doesn't really worry me. Sharia law is a part of Islam, it's in the Koran. But it's their interpretation of the law that I disagree with. They are turning Islam into a harsh religion, which I don't believe it actually is,” she said in a report published yesterday. My organisation is trying to empower women who suffer domestic violence - and I don't think al-Shabab will like us encouraging women to speak out”. She said she hadn’t been to work since the group took over and plans to stay at home until she is sure it is safe to her to go to work. “If things stay calm in Baidoa, my husband and I will stay here. But we want to wait and see how this goes. Nobody knows what al-Shabab are planning to do,” the 23 year-old said.

Years of fighting between rival warlords and an inability to deal with famine and disease have led to the deaths of up to one million people in the east African nation. The life expectancy for women there is just 49 years.

SOS Children runs several projects in Somalia, including pre and ante-natal care. To date, the organisation manages the only functioning maternity ward and gynaecological care facility in Somalia. To support SOS Children’s work, consider sponsoring a child.

By Hayley Jarvis for SOS Children