Polls during this year’s Somali elections have been declared a success, but the question remains around the participation of women in Somali politics. The electoral model did not deliver the universal suffrage promised in the 2012 election. Current figures suggest that female representation is closer to 25% rather than the one-in-three established quota. Despite the many steps forward in female political participation, including a 10% increase in representation from 2012, it seems that the old electoral model is very difficult to correct in only a few years and women still face many obstacles. The absence of gender sensitivity in politics seems to imply that women’s issues are not political, and although positive steps are moving women closer to proper political representation these steps are slow and remain far from the goal.
08/03/2017
Somali Elections: How Women Still Fight for Political Space in African Polls
Gli Autori
