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A woman is now awaiting the death penalty in the Horn of Africa nation after being convicted of murdering a teenager in her charge.

The tragic death of orphan Saabirin Saylaan in last autumn, and the horrific details that came to light about the circumstances surrounding her death, sparked protests near her home in Galkayo, along with fresh calls for enhanced child protection.

The incident resonated deeply in a nation where child abuse often remains hidden, particularly when it occurs inside extended families.

For many, Saabirin's death symbolised a broader shortcoming in child protection and the slow implementation of legal protections designed to prevent such atrocities.

An Uncommon Judgment

The conviction of 34-year-old Hodan Mohamud Diiriye for murder marked one of the rare cases in Somalia where a court imposed the ultimate penalty for child abuse.

Diiriye had denied the charges and her lawyer has filed an challenge against the decision.

Her husband, Abdiaziz Nor, 65, was cleared of murder but sentenced one year in prison and ordered to pay $500 for failure of care.

A Life Cut Short

Saabirin was orphaned when both her parents died within a brief time when she was just one year old.

Both of her grandmothers had also died so she was looked after by her late mother's aunt, who made sure she got an schooling and attended a traditional Quranic school.

But her life took a tragic turn in September after Saabirin's elder relative agreed that Diiriye's family, who required a home help, could take her in.

Evidence of Abuse

During their inquiry, police revealed that in the two months she was living there, the young girl had endured "regular physical abuse" - she was beaten and subjected to cruelty.

Evidence recovered from Diiriye's phone, including recordings and audio recordings documented repeated violence. Some of these were leaked to the public before the trial.

In one especially harrowing recording, Diiriye can be heard saying: "I take pleasure in your pain."

A post-mortem examination of Saabirin's body showed multiple injuries and deep stab wounds consistent with sustained violence.

Public Outcry

As details of the police investigation surfaced, public anger grew.

Many of women and young people marched in Galkayo, holding signs reading "Justice for Saabirin" and calling on the authorities to prosecute all those responsible.

They assembled outside the local hospital where her body was lying in the morgue.

Things got so tense that during one protest demonstrators clashed with police and a young man was shot dead.

Online, young women and girls initiated a wave of support movements, using hashtags citing Saabirin's name.

"No child should die like this," a tearful 18-year-old protester said in a clip shared on social media. "We also reject the attempts by traditional elders who want to settle this case through tribal agreements or behind closed doors."

This describes when elders from the families of those involved in a dispute intervene with the aim of avoiding revenge, rather than establish criminal guilt.

A Widespread Problem

Child abuse in Somalia is often hidden within households, and extended families are customarily viewed as private spaces – where the state should not intervene.

Diiriye's trial and other related hearings were streamed live on social media to ensure public trust in the justice system.

A regional police commander said the verdict represented an important moment in the quest of justice for the murdered teenager.

"The perpetrator is now only awaiting the carrying out of the death sentence. If further evidence emerges proving that additional individuals were involved in this crime, they will not be spared, the law will be fully enforced to them as well," he said.

A director of a child rights organisation said that "this tragedy underscores the profound gaps that still exist in safeguarding the most basic human rights of children in our society."

"Children continue to face violence inside family homes, and only the most extreme cases ever are reported to the police," he added.

Laws and Obstacles

In June this year, police in the capital, Mogadishu, received a report that a three-year-old boy had been brutally mistreated inside the home of his father's wife. The alleged perpetrator was quickly arrested.

According to a assessment, three appalling acts of violence against children occurred in the country during October and November.

The head of a local women's association in Galkayo said the community was overwhelmed with cases of violence in the home, many of which never make it to the courts.

On 1 October this year, Somalia's parliament approved the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

The decades-old charter outlines legal frameworks to prevent abuse, exploitation and violence against children.

Its stipulations include:

• Criminalising all forms of child abuse
• Toughening legal punishment for guardians who harm or neglect children
• Guaranteeing state responsibility for vulnerable and orphaned children
• And establishing monitoring systems in schools, hospitals and communities.

But just three days later, a government department issued a clarification stating that the implementation of the charter would be guided by Islamic law, with provisions contrary to religious teaching not being applied.

It said that Somali parental authority was paramount and no external entity could override it.

Lax Implementation

A women's and child's rights activist argued that enforcement of similar measures in Somalia remained weak.

The police do not have the resources to deal with cases along with social services. Cases often get mediated by clan elders, which undermines the justice system and victims' voices are not heard, she said.

She adds that children were often did not know that they could speak out and many schools were not teaching them that they could disclose abuse.

"In many similar cases, both sides of the family reach a behind-the-door agreement and then inform the government that the matter has been settled," the activist said.

A official for the region's ministry of women's development denies that the authorities are failing in their responsibility to protect children.

She highlighted programmes to help youths and efforts to protect street children.

She did however admit that in cases like Saabirin's, it is sometimes difficult to act. She acknowledged that more should be done to increase understanding that people can raise concerns if they suspect that a child might not be safe.

"Every child has the right to be removed from any household in which they do not feel safe," the official said.

A Catalyst for Change

Although Saabirin's life was cut tragically short, her death is now compelling long-delayed conversations about child safety in Somalia.

But as the local community reflects on the verdict, some are uncertain if justice will be served in the long run.

"There is nothing to celebrate yet, we still need clarity," one of the young protesters said. "We don't want justice in words, we want to see it with our own eyes. We don't want postponements."