Nagaad and EU Ambassador Nicolas Berlanga urge Parliament to Approve the Women and Minority Quota

Hargeisa-Somaliland Women and the EU Special Representative to Somaliland and Somalia, Ambassador Nicolas Berlanga jointly have issued a press statement urging the government of Somaliland and the three official political organizations to respect the Election law amendment submitted to the House of Representatives by the President and to support approve the women and minority quota.

Ms. Ismahan Abdisalaan Hassan, the chairperson of Nagaad Women Network speaking during the meeting said” Somaliland Women and the EU Special Representative to Somaliland and Somalia, Ambassador Nicolas Berlanga jointly are calling on the honourable members of the House of Representatives to urgently approve women and minority quota previously submitted to the Parliament.

She added, “We are calling upon the three official political organizations to allocate the 30% quota for women and minority people in their party’s leadership and Support the quota for both in the parliament and local government councilors. We also call upon the President of the Republic of Somaliland to follow-up on the Election law amendment he submitted to the House of Representatives.

Ms. Ismahan Abdisalaan Hassan further said that the women of the Republic of Somaliland will not support and against the holding of any elections without the inclusion of the women quotas.

Dr. Edna Aden speaking during the occasion said, “I am very worried and disappointed to see that the government of the Republic of Somaliland and the three official political organizations have to date failed to allocate the 30% quota for women and minority communities. We could not free this country 30 years ago if women and men we’re not united in the same cause.

EU Special Representative to Somaliland and Somalia, Ambassador Nicolas Berlanga said, “Today’s press conference is not a political one but its social and stability one. Therefore, we the Somaliland international partners argue the President of the Republic of Somaliland, the three official political organizations, House of Representatives the National Electoral Commission, and the High Court to find a way to integrate those women and men who have never vote for the representatives.