Headline: Somalia: women vie for presidency, defying patriarchal society

[Gabbal]

Presidential Candidate

 

NAIROBI: The mood is joyful as a group of Somali women break into song and dance to crown Asha Abdi’s decision to declare her interest in the presidency, the top job in the land.

 

Asha, who is a delegate at the ongoing Somalia peace talks being held in Nairobi, Kenya, says she is looking forward to uniting her country, which has been embroiled in a bloody civil war since 1991.

 

"Somalia is like a broken glass. I want to put the pieces together and bring unity to our nation. I have what it takes; I have support of women, youth and men alike," a confident Asha told IPS.

 

"Somalia needs change. We are sick and tired of male leaders who have done nothing except create wars. They have been fighting over power while people die of poverty and starvation," she said.

 

Since the fall of President Siad Barre’s regime in 1991, 23 factions belonging to four powerful clans have been fighting one another over territories. Pressurised by famine and political instability, they have been launching military campaigns to acquire more territories to add to their booty.

 

Saying they have had enough, women now appear more determined than ever to change their country’s political landscape. They are venturing into an area that has been regarded as men’s preserve for centuries.

 

Three women, including Asha, have registered as presidential candidates, the first time in the modern history of the Horn of African country. All in all, 53 contestants are vying for the top job in Somalia.

 

At the peace talks, women are demanding at least 25 percent representation in all decision-making posts, instead of the 12 percent, spelt out in the new charter. The charter, adopted on Sep.15, will be a guiding document in the formation of a central government in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

 

In a statement, addressed to the Special Envoy to the talks Bethuel Kiplagat, the women say, "We are proposing that 25 percent of every position in the government, which is a bare minimum, be reserved for Somali women delegates in the proposed government structure."

 

"Aware that historical and social factors limit Somali women’s participation in public office, we are willing to negotiate for this percentage, until we reach the level of equal opportunities and representation to facilitate our integration into public office," the statement added.

 

The women have also criticised the gender imbalance at the talks; of the 366 delegates, only 4.1 percent are women.

 

"Women form the majority of the population in my country, yet we are poorly represented," regrets Asha. Of Somalia’s 9.7 million people, 65 percent are women, according to various figures.

 

Women have played a key role in reconciliation processes even before the current peace talks opened in Kenya last October.

 

"Women have been involved in the struggle for liberation of Somalia. We have worked so hard looking after families, and preaching anti-war messages. We have experienced war-related trauma such as displacement, rape, among other ills. It is time we were recognised," head of the women delegation, Fatuma Abdullahi, told IPS recently.

 

Fed up of the chaos in their country, some Somali exiles are backing the women. "We have seen how men have misused power, now we will rally behind women for a change. We are sure that our country will climb to another level, if we have a woman president," remarks Hassan Haj, a Somali refugee in Nairobi.

 

"Women are sensitive about the needs of Somali people since they bear the burden of the war," he adds.

 

According to sources close to the talks, presidential elections are due in the next few days after the members of parliament have been elected by the 366 delegates.

 

The talks are being held under the auspices of Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) which comprises Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Djibouti and Somalia.

 

[nuune]

i don't know when i will see a somai woman president,but i don't want them to be like Banazir Bhuto and Megawati,but is it a dream, peharps yes peharps not,u check out,we will see how much vote they will get!!

[OG_Girl]

DELETED.....

 

Was little racist remarks.. Seems I grew up since this topic . so I deleted.

 

Salam

[ManOfWisdom]

I vote for ASHA ABDOW, SHE WILL BE A GOOD PRESIDENT!

[Changed]

good artic horn...could u please tell us of her qualification?... she sounds educated enough

 

nuune what has banazir done, i thought she was better than Nawaz Sharif and trust me (this is personal) Parvez Musharaf has nothing on her

 

on a serious note : i think we need a little diversity in our politics , men destroyed our country , and havent done anything to put it back intact so why not give eedo asha and her other women a chance

p:S: what is up with hi pakistan @horn :confused:

[BN]

No doubt Somalia needs a womens nurturing to bring her back to life. If I could vote it would be for Ms. Asha. But I doubt the warlords and old men(elders) of somalia would want or allow such a thing to occur. But in the future, if a woman were president, would she have the capability to change and overhaul the corruption and nepotism that permeates Somali politics? Or is that expecting too much from a woman and too little from a man... I'd like to think they would be able to change it.

[nuune]

actually iam in favor of somali women becoming president,i really support that,but these days i will say this century,if a woman becomes prsident,she really copies what other women learders do,so there are some connections between world women learders,so iskaashi weyn ayaa ka dhaxeeya,a big connection,they exchange ideas and ways of ruling a country,marka Miz-unique and Og-Girl walaalo haila yaabin when i say i don't want them 2 be like benazir bhuto,cause this benazir she really destroyed her country.

[Gabbal]

Bari Nomad the phenomenon called "warlordism" has destroyed the traditional rule of law for Somalia. I do believe that female president would be an extremely good idea, much better then the so-called hiniinyoyaal who driving our statehood to the ground.

 

Miz-unique hi pakistan is the logo for the website I posted the article from.

[Changed]

This topic reminded of something .. in the reason election werent women cheated out of 14 seats :confused:

 

why do wonder :mad:

 

bolbare how did Banazire destroy her counrty?

[Mutakalim]

Alahayow dumar aysan noo talin, ee taasi waxay khilaafsantahay "sunnadaada".

[checkmate]

^^^ walaahi maanta ayaa RUN SHEEKTAY...sax 100% ayaan kugu raacsanahay.... ragoow talo aan idin siiyo "intaad aduunka joogtaan dumar labo wax waligiin ha isku darina MONEY AND POWER"maxaa yeelay xaawooley labadaas heshay waa maroodi aan qooqba jibin

 

Taladaada tafa naageed allaha kuu gisho..waa habaar ee ogaada

 

asxantu

[Blessed]

Simply put. Somalia needs a very able government and president. Be it man or woman. What matters most is that he/she and the parliament strive to bring peace and stability to Somalia.

 

It would make sense that they avoid putting the very fools the destroyed the country into office. I suppose that’s where the women are at an advantage. Sorry boys, but fact is; the men destroyed Somalia.

 

 

Asha is cool. My vote would go to her but I doubt she'd be selected. A female president is clearly too advanced for the psych of our niman. That’s really not an issue though. Somalia needs to be stabilised, everything else secondary!

[NGONGE]

A Somali woman president? How absurd!

Are we talking about Somalia or some other far off country where women “rule�

Well, I suppose in our current situation anything is worth trying, eh?

A woman president will look nice and pretty in official photos. She’ll give the impression that Somalia is a fair and just society where women HAVE a say in things. People might even turn around and think: if the warlords agreed to let a woman lead them then every thing is possible! Lets look forward to a new, safe and prosperous Somalia. Then she’ll make her first mistake. It might even be a simple and inconsequential mistake. Did I say inconsequential?

People will turn against her; old woman in the backstreets of Borama will start whispering “dee woxo waa qof dumar maxa siyaasada o giiyay?â€

Poor old Aisha will become a national joke.

[Blessed]

^^^lol. It has always been the right of half-wits to point out that the king has no clothes. But the half-wit remains a half-wit, and the king remains a king. Or something like that!

 

Even if she built a mosque, some one would have something to say about her. Besides, being a politician it’s your duty to accept critique of the minions….