Somali women eye seats in government dominated by men
Somali women's rights activists and politicians want a 30% quota for female lawmakers to be enshrined in law. Ahead of upcoming elections, female candidates and campaigners are apprehensive.
Although this picture suggests otherwise, women make up barely a quarter of parliamentarians in Somalia
Amina Mohamed Abdi, one of the Somali government's most vocal critics, was 24 when she first ran for parliament in 2012. She won, becoming one of the few women in Somalia's government. This year, now aged 32, she is running for a third term in postponed elections scheduled for February 8.
But it has not been easy for her in the conflict-ridden country, where men dominate politics. Usually, it is conservative clan elders who decide who will get into parliament. Few think that women should go into politics. "I was asked: 'You want to be a prostitute? How can a woman represent a clan?'" she told Reuters. "I insisted and said a clan is not composed only of men."