MOGADISHU, Somalia

Somalia’s federal parliament ratified the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child on Wednesday after lawmakers convened in Mogadishu.

The session was chaired by the Speaker of the Lower House of the federal parliament, Sheikh Adan Mohamed Noor Madobe, and attended by 145 MPs.

A statement from the Speaker’s office said 130 lawmakers voted in favor, 10 MPs opposed, and five parliamentarians abstained.

The ratification is a significant milestone in advancing legal protections for children across the Horn of Africa.

Somalia is the 52nd country on the continent to ratify the regional human rights treaty. Morocco, South Sudan and Tunisia are the only African Union members that have not ratified it.

Originally adopted by the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which became the African Union in 1990, the Charter obligates member states to uphold and promote the rights of children, including safeguarding them from abuse and ensuring access to education and health care.