Opportunities and Challenges of Women Participation in Somalia Politics: Case Study of Puntland State

Abstract

Throughout Somalia, women’s status in politics is considered a very hot issue to talk about openly on debates because Somalia experienced political dynamics rapidly over the past three decades, and adopted federalism system. However, Puntland, a semi-autonomous state, was established on August 1998 and exercise de facto authority in its jurisdictions and organize elections unilaterally. The study explores the opportunities and challenges of women participation in Somalia politics. This study employed a descriptive research method of primary and secondary data collection using Likert scale structured questionnaire. Findings show that this study represented the overall findings of the interviewees intwined with the most relevant and proponent literatures including up-to-date reports, papers, articles and the constitutions of both federal government of Somalia and Puntland State and of which stipulate the fundamental rights of the citizenries such saying citizens have the right to vote, the right to public office, the right to reside and travel freely in any part of the territory of the state, and the right to political association. However, the study found that all these principals appear only as de jure principles written on paper because, the pattern of Puntland female parliamentarians has been deteriorating over the last two decades due to many factors including the educational level of the women, the women’s recognition, the patriarchal-oriented behavior, and preference of male over female by the clan leaders who are entry point for the politics and have a crucial role in determining who get selected for political positions. Contrariwise, the women’s appointed positions of power were quite scaling up with the will of the president (s), and number of women standing for having an interest in political positions has been heightened. Conversely, the study also explores the potential opportunities available for women’s participation in Puntland state of Somalia and concluded establishing rigid political campaign strategy such as extending service to the vulnerable people and/or advocating for their interest at the decision tables and so forth.