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A woman is presently awaiting execution in the Horn of Africa nation after being convicted of killing a 14-year-old girl in her care.

The killing of parentless child Saabirin Saylaan in November, and the horrific details that came to light about the circumstances surrounding her death, provoked protests near her home in Galkayo, along with reinvigorated demands for enhanced child protection.

The incident touched a deep nerve in a nation where child abuse frequently goes unreported, especially when it takes place inside clan households.

For many, Saabirin's death epitomised a wider shortcoming in child protection and the slow enforcement 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 infrequent cases in Somalia where a court handed down the death sentence for child abuse.

Diiriye had rejected the charges and her lawyer has filed an challenge against the ruling.

Her husband, Abdiaziz Nor, 65, was acquitted of murder but given one year in prison and fined $500 for negligence.

A Tragic Upbringing

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

Both of her grandmothers had also died so she was cared for by her late mother's aunt, who ensured she got an education and attended a traditional Quranic school.

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

Proof of Maltreatment

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

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

In one particularly disturbing recording, Diiriye can be heard saying: "I'm enjoying your pain."

A post-mortem examination of Saabirin's body showed multiple injuries and deep knife wounds indicative of sustained violence.

Community Anger

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

Hundreds of women and young people marched in Galkayo, carrying 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 heated that during one protest demonstrators confronted 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 emotional 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 clan customs or behind closed doors."

This refers to when elders from the families of those involved in a dispute step in with the aim of preventing 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 safe spaces – where the state should not intervene.

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

A regional police commander said the verdict marked an significant moment in the pursuit of justice for the murdered teenager.

"The offender is now only awaiting the implementation of the death sentence. If further evidence surfaces proving that other individuals were involved in this crime, they will not be exempted, the law will be fully applied to them as well," he said.

A director of a child rights organisation said that "the case highlights the deep 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 severe cases ever are reported to the police," he added.

Laws and Obstacles

In the summer this year, police in the capital, Mogadishu, acted on a report that a three-year-old boy had been brutally mistreated inside the home of his father's wife. The accused perpetrator was swiftly 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 reach 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:

• Outlawing all forms of child abuse
• Strengthening legal punishment for guardians who harm or neglect children
• Ensuring 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 conflicting with religious teaching not being enforced.

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

Lax Implementation

A women's and child's rights activist contended that implementation 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 unaware 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 private agreement and then inform the government that the matter has been settled," the activist said.

A coordinator for the region's ministry of women's development denies that the authorities are neglecting 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 speak out 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 true accountability will be achieved in the long run.

"There is nothing to rejoice 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 delays."