Somaliland passes law to end rape culture

Republic of Somaliland has passed a law which seeks to end rape culture and strengthen its democratic credentials.

In the past, a victim's family could force them to marry their rapist to avoid being shamed but offenders now stand to face at least 30 years in prison.

The government hopes that such a law will help wipe out rape culture completely from the country.

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"Nowadays we have seen even people carrying out gang rapes… the main emphasis of the new act is to completely stop rape," Bashe Mohammed Farah, speaker of parliament of the Republic of Somaliland, told the BBC.

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The new act on rape is a product of years of advocacy and lobbying by children and women's rights activists and also a bait to international community of the country’s strong democratically credentials.

Somaliland declared itself independent from Somalia in 1991 but is not internationally recognised as a country.

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