Somali Minister of Family Affairs and Human Rights, Khadija Al-Makhzumi, has denied supporting secret marriages, saying her remarks were misquoted.
A video of her recent speech went viral after some falsely claimed she endorsed qudbo-siro, a secretive form of marriage.
Minister Al-Makhzumi clarified she never supported secret unions, but called for all marriages to be officially registered to protect women’s rights.
“I never supported qudbo-siro. I said every marriage must be registered to protect women from abuse and abandonment,” she told parliament.
To protect women, she proposed assigning official Sheikhs in each district to register marriages, as Somalia once did in the past.
“Somalia had this before. A system that documented marriages and protected women. I’m asking us to bring that back,” she explained.
In her address, she criticized parliament for failing Somali women, saying their concerns are ignored and rarely debated in national discussions.
“Women have been silenced for too long. No one here speaks for them,” she said.
She urged lawmakers to remember their duty to represent everyone — especially vulnerable women who continue to face injustice and neglect.
She accused some social media users of twisting her words to gain attention, spreading lies to cause public confusion.
“I was misquoted by people seeking views. They turned my message of protection into something shameful and wrong,” she stated.
Many Somali women have since spoken out in support of Minister Makhzumi, praising her bravery and honesty in addressing taboo issues.
“She speaks the truth. We’re tired of being ignored,” said Asha, a 34-year-old tea seller in Mogadishu’s Hamar Weyne market.
“We’ve suffered in silence for years. Now someone is standing up for us,” said Hawa, a clothing shop owner.
“What she said is not controversial. It’s common sense — women deserve protection and dignity,” added activist Sahra Omar from Kismayo.
Her words have opened up a long-overdue national conversation on the injustices Somali women face under outdated customs and weak laws.
“We cannot move forward as a country while half the population is unheard, unprotected, and left behind,” she said.
She made it clear this is not a personal fight but a shared mission to uplift women across Somalia, regardless of status.
“This fight is not just for me. It is for every girl who feels invisible in her own country,” she declared.
