Violence against women normally is dealt with within the family or clan structure rather than in the courts. The police rarely intervene in domestic violence incidents, and the media report only the most extreme examples, such as murder. The Government of Djibouti has not addressed child abuse, which often is punished lightly. When a child is raped or abused, the perpetrator usually is fined an amount sufficient to cover the child's medical care. There are approximately 5.000 persons per doctor.
Male children inherit larger percentages of an estate than do female children.
Women are not permitted to travel without the permission of an adult male relative. The few educated women increasingly turn to the regular courts to defend their interests. FGM traditionally is performed on girls between the ages of 7 and 10. In particular, the Government's enforcement of laws to protect women and children is weak. Women legally possess full civil rights, but custom and traditional societal discrimination in education dictate that they play a secondary role in public life and have fewer employment opportunities than men.