Somaliland: Joint appeal on political position of women

A JOINT APPEAL OF CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS TOWARDS IMPROVING THE POLITICAL POSITION OF WOMEN IN SOMALILAND

Date: October 18, 2005

TO: H.E. Dahir Riyale Kahin
The President of Somaliland Hargeisa
Somaliland House of Elders Hargeisa
Somaliland House of Representative Hargeisa
National Election Commission (NEC) Hargeisa
National Political Parties (UDUB, KULMIYE & UCID) Hargeisa
Independent and Government Media Institutions Hargeisa

CC: DFID, British Embassy Addis, USAID, International Republican institute, EU, SACB, Norway, Sweden, Finish Embassy in Nairobi, NED, ISF, NOVIB, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, ICD,/CIIR, Arab League Representative to AU in Addis.

We, the NAGAAD Umbrella, Women Decision –Making Forum, EAHRW, Samotalis, FOPAG, S/land HR-NET and Heegan Human Rights Network would like to congratulate the Somaliland people in the recently concluded peaceful elections of House of Representatives that took place in Somaliland on the Thursday, 29th of September 2005. The elections ascertained the completion of a milestone in Somaliland’s quest towards democratization.

We congratulate the 246 men and women candidates that withstood the challenges of the multi-party electoral exercise. Especial gratitude is hereby sent to all the parties who worked and took part in the smooth conduct of the elections. More so, we express our utmost recognition to the role played by the Somaliland police and the support of the international community both for their commitment and solidarity to Somaliland’s commitment to democracy.

We recognize the nation’s aim to pursue democracy in transforming this unrecognized nation towards a workable democratic state. We recognize the importance of Somaliland’s success in ensuring that democratic governance is put in place.

For 10 years, NAGAAD together with the support of other women organizations and organized civil society groups had led the struggle for the inclusion of women in the country’s leadership and decision-making. This was manifested in the support it has demonstrated in lobbying for women’s interests in the Local Council elections in 2002, Presidential elections in 2003 and the recently concluded Parliamentary elections.

Gaining lessons from past electoral experiences, through the leadership of NAGAAD, women groups with the support of other civil society organizations made efforts to respond to the problems caused by traditional and national laws that blocked women’s participation.

Among our key campaign endeavors to ensure women’s participation and inclusion in the state’s decision-making organs included lobbying initiatives with the Executive, members of the legislature and the National Electoral Commission to attain a “quota” for women during the formulation of the Electoral Law. We believe that in a clan-based society struggling to transform itself into a multi-party democracy a quota for women is the only solution to advance the participation of women who essentially contributed to peace building and economic reconstruction and rehabilitation of this country. It is the only solution to protect and advance its political rights. This was however was put to waste as the current approved Electoral Law failed to provide the quota we have been lobbying for.

This effort of giving quota for women was equally supported by human rights organizations that strongly believe that equal opportunity for women should be strongly supported in Somaliland’s path towards the country’s transition towards democracy. Their pleas also remained unheard.

NAGAAD together with the human rights organizations and civil society groups named above, closely observed the elections and participated in the voter education during the elections. Going through our experience in the rigorous electoral exercise we believe that the seven (7) women candidates who contested against 239 male candidates faced critical obstacles during the campaign and the elections.

1. The selection process left the decision to identify candidates were left to the male-dominated traditional clan structure hence restricted the chances of many women who expressed interests in running for elections leaving only seven women candidates who were nominated as a token by the three political parties.

2. That the patriarchal clan lineage system continue to be the fundamental root of resistance against women’s substantive political participation as women’s capacity for leadership continue to be unrecognized by their clan or their husband’s clan.

3. That contrary to their public commitment to women empowerment, none of the three political parties pursued affirmative actions that would provide chances to women during the male-dominated campaign.

4. Although we recognize the low literacy level of the voting public, hence the necessity of using symbols which primarily consisted of objects (construction materials and images of animals and plants) to identify the candidates were approved by the National Electoral Commission, we are appalled that NEC approved an image of a woman to represent a male candidate. This further validated the view of women as objects and non-entity in a serious contest for political leadership. This consistently imposed an image of women as non-serious players in the democratic exercise.

5. That the seven women candidates suffered extreme financial constraints as they were pitted against 239 male candidates fully supported by their respective clans that provided both financial and moral support to boost their candidacies.

Recognizing the substantial role of women after the war in reconstructing and rehabilitating Somaliland and its continuous efforts in peace building we believe that women should be supported in its quest for political participation.

Recognizing the enormous participation of women as voters, political party, voter education campaigners, polling station staffs and as brave candidates, women’s interests should be protected and advanced in the newly installed parliament.

We believe that women who composed 60% of Somaliland population are the most vulnerable sectors of the society hence it is extremely disappointing to that Somaliland’s political condition only allowed two women MP members to represent the women population.

We believe and recognize the enormous resistance to be faced by the two elected women candidates in a male dominated House of Representatives hence, policy reforms are in order to ensure (1) women parliamentarians will be given a chance in pursuing women’s concerns (2) that policy reforms towards a women’s quota system should be put in place to provide a better chance in the new coming parliament and for the next electoral exercise in 2007.

HENCE WE URGE THE PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF ELDERS, MEMBERS OF THE NEWLY ELECTED PARLIAMENT:

To amend the current Somaliland Constitution and the Electoral Law the soonest possible time to ensure quota for women that will provide opportunity for them to equally participate in the electoral process. To provide affirmative mechanisms that will widen women’s and minorities’ participation during elections by ensuring that protective mechanisms for women and minorities communities political party members, leaders and potential candidates within the political party structures are strictly followed by the political parties.

WE URGE THE POLITICAL PARTIES to seriously review their conduct during the parliamentary elections and internally assess their actions to review the extent of their support/non-support to women. Subsequently, to ensure that serious changes are installed to create mechanisms within their political party structures, policies and political agenda to serve affirmative actions for women and minorities groups.

WE URGE THE MEDIA to continuously provide support to women’s concerns by increasing the presence of women’s issues both in the broadcast and print media. To actively build the capacity of women journalists so that they could freely perform their jobs in constantly educating the public on the role of women in politics and in development in general.

We urge the international community to continue to provide tangible support to women’s initiatives in improving the economic and political conditions of women in Somaliland and further enhance their capacities in their struggle to advance the position of women.

SIGNATORIES:

1. NAGAAD Umbrella,
2. Women Decision –Making Forum;
3. East Africa Human Rights Watch (EAHRW);
4. Samotalis Human Rights Coalition;
5. Forum for Peace and Governance (FOPAG);
6. Somaliland National Human Rights Network (S/land HR-Net) and,
7. Heegan Human Rights Network.