Somalia: Information regarding widowhood
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 January 1990 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | SOM4071 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Somalia: Information regarding widowhood, 1 January 1990, SOM4071, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6acc140.html [accessed 4 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The manager of COSTI, Centre for Italian Scholastic and Technical Organizations located in Toronto and the president of the North Somali Association of Quebec both report that a widowed woman has a few choices. In most cases where the husband's family accepts the widow as a good family member, her brother-in-law or her husband's brother will offer to marry her. In this way, fatherless children are assured the protection of their extended family, without losing the widow to another man. However, a marriage may mot take place until four months and ten days have passed since the husband's death.
Another choice open to a widow is to refuse the marriage proposals mentioned earlier and find another husband. Again a period of four months and ten days must pass before the marriage can take place. Since a widow is responsible for the welfare of her children, she may elect to remain a single parent, and attempt to bring up the children alone or with the help of her family. Frequently, the deceased husband's brothers or cousins will assist the widow and her children, even after she declines the marriage proposal.
As a patrilineal society, Somalian children become and always remain members of the father's clan. Consequently, should the widow marry outside of her husband's family, only children from her new marriage will be affiliated to their father's clan. To that end children always maintain the names of their biological fathers.
Corroborating information from published sources is currently unavailable to the IRBDC.
