UNDERSTANDING THE BARRIERS AND CHALLENGING THE TRADITIONAL NORMS FOR FEMALE FREEDOM IN SOMALIA

Abstract:

Somalia is a country situated in the horn of Africa. There are several reasons why studies on Somali women deserve our notice. Somali society is exorbitantly patriarchal in structure, therefore unjust in its dealings with women. A woman of Somalia is prohibited from having any involvement in the Somali society because they are considered having an inferior status than men. Somali women can neither have charge of their bodies in the matter of circumcision nor do they have any little authority over their lives. The writer, Nuruddin Farah presents a crystal clear image of Somali women. He is the one writer who does not dabble in stereotypes of African womanhood but presents women as autonomous individuals. He is described frequently as a feminist because of the emphasis in his novels which he places on the plight of African women. He highlights the distinctive part of female liberation while additionally mulling over the dialogue of change and a feeling of having a place. The present paper intends to show the oppression and inequality experienced by Somali women living in traditionally Islamic, patriarchal and nomadic society. The novel selected for the study, From a Crooked Rib analyzes the status of women and the inequality she faces because of her subordinate position in the society. The paper will throw light on the different problems which the female protagonist faces and how she seeks self-determination through her struggles to break away from her traditional society which regard women only as an object and no better than Adam’s crooked rib. The paper will also focus on revealing enough female stereotypes that suggest a definite sexist bias against women who live in the community of Camel nomads where society pressurizes women to live according to their laws.