Somaliland Parliament Criticised for Rejecting Women’s Quota

Burco (PP News Desk) — Women’s Groups in Burco city have expressed disappointment with a decision by the Somaliland Parliament to reject representation quota for women in the bicameral legislature.

At a meeting held at Daalo Hotel in Burco members of Women’s groups vowed to challenge the parliamentary decision peacefully through demonstrations. “MPs who owe their representation privileges to our votes now oppose our rightful qouta. It is deplorable that the Somaliland Parliamentary Speaker Bashe Mohamed Farah is at the forefront of forces against our qouta. Why should a Parliament whose term ended long ago block our quota? ” said a senior female activist at the meeting.

United they stand: Analysts predict women’s grievances could lead to low turnout for parliamentary elections if Somaliland Parliament sticks to its decision on women’s quota.

Somaliland MPs were elected in 2005, when the last parliamentary elections took place. “We will never elect men, nor will a President ever be elected as a long as opposition to women’s representation quota remains. We have to unite and come up with ideas” said another woman at the meeting.

Analysts predict low turnout for planned Somaliland parliamentary elections if the Somaliland Parliament does not budge on its decision about women’s representation in Somaliland legislatures.

© Puntland Post, 2020