LGBT rights in Somalia
Encyclopedia
LGBT rights in Somalia fall under the scope of Somalia
's federal laws. As such, homosexuality
is illegal in the country and is punishable by imprisonment
.
ic social mores often make it difficult to publicly talk about how the virus can be spread. Since 1999, much of the AIDS/HIV education and care has come from international organizations such as the United Nations.
Despite this, Somalia has one of the lowest HIV infection rates on the continent. This is attributed to the Muslim
nature of Somali society and adherence of Somalis to Islamic morals. While the estimated HIV prevalence rate in Somalia in 1987 (the first case report year) was 1% of adults, a more recent estimate from 2007 now places it at only 0.5% of the nation's adult population.
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
's federal laws. As such, homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
is illegal in the country and is punishable by imprisonment
Imprisonment
Imprisonment is a legal term.The book Termes de la Ley contains the following definition:This passage was approved by Atkin and Duke LJJ in Meering v Grahame White Aviation Co....
.
Legislation
Under Article 409 of the Somali Penal Code, introduced in 1973, sexual intercourse with a person of the same sex is punishable by imprisonment from three months to three years. An "act of lust" other than sexual intercourse is punishable by a prison term of two months to two years. Under Article 410 of the Somali Penal Code, an additional security measure may accompany sentences for homosexual acts, usually coming in the form of police surveillance to prevent "re-offending".HIV/AIDS Prevention
Family planning services are hard to access, as is fact-based information on human sexuality. Humanitarian workers have stated that IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic social mores often make it difficult to publicly talk about how the virus can be spread. Since 1999, much of the AIDS/HIV education and care has come from international organizations such as the United Nations.
Despite this, Somalia has one of the lowest HIV infection rates on the continent. This is attributed to the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
nature of Somali society and adherence of Somalis to Islamic morals. While the estimated HIV prevalence rate in Somalia in 1987 (the first case report year) was 1% of adults, a more recent estimate from 2007 now places it at only 0.5% of the nation's adult population.
Living conditions
The U.S. Department of State's 2010 Human Rights Report found that “sexual orientation was considered a taboo topic, and there was no public discussion of this issue in any region of the country," and that "there were no reports of societal violence or discrimination based on sexual orientation."See also
- LGBT rights in PuntlandLGBT rights in PuntlandLesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons in the autonomous region of Somalia known as Puntland experience legal challenges not faced by other residents...
- LGBT rights in SomalilandLGBT rights in SomalilandLGBT rights in Somaliland refers to homosexuality being a crime in Somaliland, a de facto independent republic which is claimed in whole by Somalia. Punishment ranges from imprisonment to, in extreme cases, capital punishment...
- LGBT rights in AfricaLGBT rights in AfricaLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender rights in Africa are limited in comparison to other areas of the world, with the BBC estimating that homosexuality is outlawed in 38 African countries...
- Human rights in SomaliaHuman rights in SomaliaHuman rights in Somalia are extremely poor and serious human rights violations are a problem due to the unstable political situation in the country. Somalia has not had a central government since President Mohamed Siad Barre fled the country in 1991...