Provisional Constitution of the Federal Republic of Somalia

The Provisional Constitution of the Federal Republic of Somalia was adopted in 2012. Article 27 addresses children and contains the following provisions:

• Every child has the right to a good and righteous name and a nationality from birth.
• Every child has the right to be protected from mistreatment, neglect, abuse, or degradation.
• No child may perform work or provide services that are not suitable for the child’s age or create a risk to the child’s health or development in any way.
• Every child may be detained only as a last resort, for a limited time, in appropriate conditions, and must be detained separately from adults with the exception of the child’s immediate family. The child’s immediate family must be informed of the child’s detention as soon as practicable.
• Every child shall have the right to legal aid paid for by the state if the child might otherwise suffer injustice.
• Every child has the right to be protected from armed conflict, and not to be used in armed conflict.