By Zakarie Soohoyde - Reporter
Mogadishu, 22 August 2026 — Somalia’s House of the People convened on Thursday with 142 lawmakers present for the first reading of four new bills, triggering immediate debate among MPs.
The bills cover family affairs, child rights, the establishment of the Somali Scholars Authority, and rape and other sexual offences.
Several lawmakers raised concerns over provisions in the family affairs and child rights bills, while others questioned presenting four major bills at once.
MP Abdisalan Haji Dhabancad criticized the approach and called for separate readings.
“When this many are brought at once, they cannot all be properly read or dealt with. They should be brought one by one and examined properly and systematically,” he said.
What does the Child Rights Bill propose?
The Child Rights Bill seeks to regulate child labour and restrict children from commercial and hazardous work.
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Article 28 prohibits the use of children in commercial advertising and restricts children from working after 6 p.m., placing responsibility on the guardian or employer if violated.
The bill also prohibits children from working in industrial environments, carrying heavy loads, and serving in the military.
The restrictions could have significant implications in Somalia, where underage work remains common in parts of the country.
What happens next?
The four bills have entered their first reading and must go through second and third readings before a final vote.
If passed, they will come into force after being signed by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
The debate has placed family law, child protection and children's rights at the centre of Somalia's legislative agenda.