The Constitution of Somalia 25 August 1979, amended 1984

Chapter 2 - Fundamental rights, freedoms and duties of the citizen and the individual

Art.23 - Right to education

Every citizen shall have the right to free education.

Chapter 3 - Socio-Economic foundation

Section 2 - Promotion of education and science

Art.46

1. The State shall give special priority to the promotion, expansion and dissemination of education and science, and shall consider education as the ideal investment which shall play the leading part in the Somali political and socio-economic development.

2. Education in the Somali Democratic Republic shall favor the working class, and shall conform to the special conditions and environment of the Somali society.

Art.47

Education in the Somali Democratic Republic shall be free. It shall be compulsory up to the intermediate school level.

Art.48

Eradication of illiteracy and adult education shall be a national duty towards which the people and State shall pool their resources in its fulfillment.

Art.49

1. The State shall promote science and arts, and shall encourage scientific and artistic creativity. (…)

Art.50

In order to ensure healthy physical and mental growth of the youth, and to raise their level of education and political consciousness the State shall give special importance to the promotion and encouragement of gymnastics and sports

EQUALITY

Article 6

All citizens regardless of sex, religion, origin and language shall be entitled to equal rights and duties before the law.

CITIZENSHIP

GENDER

Article 56

1. The state recognising the family as the basis of society shall protect the family and shall assist the mother and child.

CHILDREN

Article 53

The state shall promote child care homes and revolutionary youth centres.

Article 56

3. The state shall guarantee the care of children whose parents die while defending the country

DISABILITIES

Article 56

2. The state shall be responsible for the care of the handicapped, children of unknown parents and the aged, provided they shall not have anybody to care for them.
LANGUAGE

Article 3

2. Somali is the language which all Somalis speak and through which they recognise each other; Arabic is the language which links the Somali people with the Arab nation, of whom they are an integral part, and the two languages shall constitute the official languages of the Somali Democratic Republic.

RELIGION

Article 3

1. Islam shall be the state religion.

HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS

Article 19

The Somali Democratic Republic shall recognise the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and generally accepted rules of international law.