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