Shunned by family, judged by society: A Somali woman’s defiant fight for love

Faadumo was only seven when a medical error left her partially paralyzed, altering the course of her life. Decades later, her battle is not just with physical limitations but with a society that views disability as a mark of shame.

Her biggest challenge came when she fell in love. She and her partner were ready to marry, but his family refused. “They told him to find another woman,” she recalled. “For them, my disability was unacceptable.”

Despite the rejection, they wed. However, acceptance never followed. “Every night, my mother-in-law took my husband to another room, saying, ‘This disabled woman might pass her condition to you.’” Community whispers and judgment added to her suffering.

The situation worsened when she became pregnant. “His family pressured us to separate while I was expecting,” Faadumo said. “They believed that because I was disabled, my child would be too.”

More than one in ten Somali adults lives with a disability, with women disproportionately affected. Deep-seated cultural beliefs often associate disabilities with bad luck, making those affected vulnerable to discrimination and exclusion.

For years, Somali activists fought for legal recognition. Mohamed Diiriye, a visually impaired advocate, led efforts to pass the National Disability Protection Act. After years of delays, President Hassan Sheikh signed it into law in December 2024.