GAROWE (KAAB TV) – The eagerly awaited announcement of Puntland State of Somalia’s new cabinet, comprising 21 ministerial portfolios, unfolded last night.
Presidential spokesperson Jama Yusuf Deberani, unveiled the roster to the media.
Among the appointees are familiar faces from President Said Abdullahi Deni’s previous cabinet, alongside new additions from the opposition camp.
Notably, the cabinet features only three women, marking a concerning trend in gender representation.
The three female ministers are: Maryan Ahmed Ali, entrusted with the Ministry of Women; Ubah Abdirashid Mohamed Hersi, assuming leadership of the Ministry of Humanitarian Aid; and Hodan Said Hassan, appointed as the Minister of Youth and Sports.
The sole female voice
The appointment of these women comes against a backdrop of dwindling political participation among Puntland’s female populace, evident in the composition of the recently elected Puntland Parliament, where a solitary woman occupies a seat among 66 MPs.
Muno Ahmed Abdale represents the sole female voice in the regional parliament, originating from the Mudug region.
Activists advocating for women’s rights lament the exclusion of aspiring female politicians from electoral processes, attributing this to resistance from clan elders vested with nominating parliamentarians.
Farhiyo Yusuf, a former Puntland minister, highlighted missed opportunities for women’s engagement, citing the disrupted one-person one-vote electoral process following violence in Garowe last year.
The absence of female candidates in the recent Puntland presidential election underscores prevailing challenges, with women expressing disillusionment over their prospects within parliamentary voting dynamics.
Hopes for gender parity in the cabinet were only partially realized, with women securing leadership roles in just three out of 21 ministries, constituting a mere 14.2% representation.
Saido Hussein Gees, a former minister and proponent of gender quotas, urges women to persist in their quest for equitable political representation, advocating for a goal of 50% female participation.