there is hype but behind the propaganda smokescreen and advertisement tricks of, "somalia and somaliland", the reality is that somaliland is the most backward region among the somalis with its, tribalism, patriarchy, minority marginalisation, oligarchical economic system with its Kleptocratic political class within a narco-state
other somali states need to be aware of the development that happend in somaliland and avoid that path otherwise they will become a mixture of latin american states and arab states.
somaliland never actually choose that path, it happened in a gradually way, thats why their local election are always postponed because the system is rigid and regressive.
its a system born out the mayham of the 90s, so its a system people rarely analysis.
its a system that perpetuates provincialism, tribalisim and undermines enlightened modern statecraft.
whats interesting is how the peoples conscious has adopted to this archaic system and how the system memorialised the tribal consciousness, meaning everything is seen through the prism of tribal kin weather politics, business or neighbourhoods so there is no body politic nor free and open capitalistic market, so in that sense, it resembles closed societies.
as you know closed societies rarely reform the system, until the system collapses under its own weight either through armed uprising or revolution.
this systems Achilles heel is economics and representation
Women Representation in the Executive Branch
The incumbent president, Muse Behi Abdi, was inaugurated on 14th December 2017. He appointed a cabinet of 32 ministers and deputy ministers.[5] Women got two ministers and one deputy minister. The director generals of the ministries (an equivalent of permanent secretaries in some jurisdictions) are all men, except one[6]. All of the heads of all government agencies are men.
Civil Servants
According to the Civil Service Commission, women are 25% in the civil servants.[7] Majority of them work in lower ranking offices. There is no available record of the number of women and men in the military, police, custodial guards, immigration, intelligence agency and coastal guards.
Local Governments and Regional Administrations
In the last local government councillors’ election held in 2012, 2088 candidates competed for 305 seats. Women candidates were 135 whereas and the remaining 1945 were men. only 9 women candidates were elected.[8] . All the mayors of the 23 districts of the country are men. All of the governors of the thirteen regions and their deputies are men.[9]
Chart 1: men and women representations in the elected local councillors
Chart 1: men and women representations in the elected local councillors
Parliament
The bicameral parliament of Somaliland has two chambers according to article 38 of the Constitution. The lower house with most of the legislative powers is called the House of Representatives. The members of the house are 82.[10] The first, and so far, the last direct election was conducted in 2005.[11] Two women were elected: Ikraan Haji Daud from Awdal region and Baar Saed from Sanaag region. Ikraan resigned from the House. Therefore, Baar is the only women in the House.
The Guurti, which also has 82 members and more 5 honorary members, is the upper house of the Parliament. There is no single woman in the Guurti and the only woman who ever joined the Guurti resigned.
Political Parties
The lack of representation of women in leadership positions is also reflected in all the three political parties of Somaliland. There is no single woman in the top leadership of political parties.
Party
Position
Occupant
Kulmiye
Chairperson
Man
Kulmiye
1st Deputy chairperson
Man
Kulmiye
Secretary General
Man
Kulmiye
Central Committee Chairperson
Man
Waddani
Chairperson
Man
Waddani
1st Deputy Chairperson
Man
Waddani
Party Leader
Man
Waddani
Secretary-General
Man
Waddani
Central Committee Chairperson
Man
UCID
Chairperson
Man
UCID
1st Deputy chairperson
Man
UCID
Secretary-General
Man
UCID
Central Committee Chairperson
Man
Table 1: leadership positions in political parties
Conclusion
The above analysis shows the lack of representation of women at the top leadership positions of the key political actors of the country. However, the same marginalization is common at workforces, civil society leadership positions and businesses. In contrast to the region, Somaliland lags behind. The reformist Prime Minister of Ethiopia has appointed 50/50 cabinet. Both the president of Ethiopia and the Chief Justice are women. Somalia has even more women in its cabinet and Parliament than in Somaliland.
Institution
Percentage of women
Local councils
3%
Parliament
0.6%
Cabinet
9%
Top parties’ leadership
0%
Table 2: percentage of women in key institutions
Recommendations
To the President of Somaliland:
The President of Somaliland makes many appoints in the executive and the judiciary. He is required to fulfil his campaign promise and appoint more women in his government. The president promised to give 30% to women during the presidential election campaign. The president proposed a quota for women in the House of Representatives. The majority of the members of the Parliament belong to the ruling party, Kulmiye. Therefore, it is vital the president ensure his party members to vote for and approve the quota and extend this quota to the local councillors.
To the Parliament
The Parliament has to approve the proposes quota for women and extend this quota to the local councillors.
To the Political Parties
The political parties’ rhetoric made during campaigns pledging women political participation needs to be true by giving women fair share in the leadership of the parties.
To the Civil Society
The civil society of Somaliland have to act what it preaches and include more women in the leadership. Furthermore, it is the obligation of the civil society to effective and honest campaign for women rights.
