Somali elders didn’t send women representative to the parliament

Jimco 17 August 2012 SMC

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Somali elders didn’t send women representative to the parliament.

As stipulated and ratified on the constitution of Somalia in August 01, 2012, the Somali elders disregarded Somali women’s allocated 30% quota. The reports so far indicate very few elders or tribal leaders selected women to the Somali parliament. The report also indicates closed-door deals had taken place, which undermined a fair process, and resulted women being sidelined ones more.

Somali women are outraged at the lack of compliance and fair process that is taking place, and demand that the constitution and the women’s quota be respected. Somali women are also, advising the international community to intervene and resolve this unjust and undemocratic process and questioned the means of the parliamentarian selection. 
SWCN recommendations:

• Finding an alternate process to grant the women’s 30% quota than the current traditional elder’s selection process.
• As mentioned in SWCN’s previous press releases, a selection of the parliamentarian without women’s 30%, quota should not be accepted, or it should be left vacant until an alternative process is achieved. 
• SWCN also suggests once women parliamentarian selections are completed, there should be women participants and appointees at all levels of the new government, including the speaker or deputy speaker of the house, deputy Prime Minister, or the PM, and other high function portfolios in the government.

SWCN members, friends and supporters demand that the favoritism and discrimination in the selection of parliamentarians be removed from the process. We encourage all Somali women to get involve and demand their rights be respected. Also, we want to continue our grassroots campaign by calling and pressuring the members of the National Assembly, the new parliamentarians and the presidential candidates to ensure that women’s quota are respected and materialized.

SWCN’s public relations.

Sincerly
somaliwomenscircle@gmail.com

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