Elections, Human Rights and Women’s Political Participation in Somaliland: Challenges and Prospects

Abdiaziz Harun Mohamed

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13

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Elections, Human Rights and Women’s Political Participation in Somaliland: Challenges and Prospects

Abdiaziz Harun Mohamed

Published in Social Sciences (Volume 12, Issue 4)

Received: 4 June 2023 Accepted: 7 July 2023 Published: 21 July 2023

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Abstract

Most recent reports present a bleak and gloomy picture of the state of human rights and democracy around the world. This is particularly true in Africa, where the renaissance of democratic revival in the 21^st century is rapidly giving way to narratives of doom and gloom. Though Somaliland approved its constitution in 2001, established a multi-party political system, and held local council, presidential, and parliamentary elections in the first decade, there are some challenges hindering democratization processes, holding creditable elections, protecting human rights, and women’s political representation. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to assess the current status of Somaliland’s elections, human rights, and women’s political participation, it also reviews electoral challenges, human rights abuses, and gender-based violence that have been encountered and considers the prospects for the future. However, this article revealed that there is a poor legal framework, strong clan politics, and limitations on free media expression. Somaliland adopted laws and policies to protect human rights but faced implementation issues. In addition to that, opposition leaders and party members faced imprisonment and intimidation, whereas women’s’ political participation remained low. The paper therefore calls on Somaliland government to review the electoral laws to address gaps and ensure transparency, fairness, and inclusivity in the electoral process; take immediate measures to protect freedom of media expression; enforce existing laws and policies aimed at protecting human rights; and introduce gender quotas to increase women’s representation in all levels of government.

Published in	Social Sciences (Volume 12, Issue 4)
DOI	10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13
Page(s)	161-170
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Elections, Human Rights, Political Participation, Challenges, Prospects, Somaliland

References

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APA Style

Abdiaziz Harun Mohamed. (2023). Elections, Human Rights and Women’s Political Participation in Somaliland: Challenges and Prospects. Social Sciences, 12(4), 161-170. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13

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ACS Style

Abdiaziz Harun Mohamed. Elections, Human Rights and Women’s Political Participation in Somaliland: Challenges and Prospects. Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(4), 161-170. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13

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AMA Style

Abdiaziz Harun Mohamed. Elections, Human Rights and Women’s Political Participation in Somaliland: Challenges and Prospects. Soc Sci. 2023;12(4):161-170. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13,
  author = {Abdiaziz Harun Mohamed},
  title = {Elections, Human Rights and Women’s Political Participation in Somaliland: Challenges and Prospects},
  journal = {Social Sciences},
  volume = {12},
  number = {4},
  pages = {161-170},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ss.20231204.13},
  abstract = {Most recent reports present a bleak and gloomy picture of the state of human rights and democracy around the world. This is particularly true in Africa, where the renaissance of democratic revival in the 21st century is rapidly giving way to narratives of doom and gloom. Though Somaliland approved its constitution in 2001, established a multi-party political system, and held local council, presidential, and parliamentary elections in the first decade, there are some challenges hindering democratization processes, holding creditable elections, protecting human rights, and women’s political representation. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to assess the current status of Somaliland’s elections, human rights, and women’s political participation, it also reviews electoral challenges, human rights abuses, and gender-based violence that have been encountered and considers the prospects for the future. However, this article revealed that there is a poor legal framework, strong clan politics, and limitations on free media expression. Somaliland adopted laws and policies to protect human rights but faced implementation issues. In addition to that, opposition leaders and party members faced imprisonment and intimidation, whereas women’s’ political participation remained low. The paper therefore calls on Somaliland government to review the electoral laws to address gaps and ensure transparency, fairness, and inclusivity in the electoral process; take immediate measures to protect freedom of media expression; enforce existing laws and policies aimed at protecting human rights; and introduce gender quotas to increase women’s representation in all levels of government.},
 year = {2023}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Elections, Human Rights and Women’s Political Participation in Somaliland: Challenges and Prospects
AU  - Abdiaziz Harun Mohamed
Y1  - 2023/07/21
PY  - 2023
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13
T2  - Social Sciences
JF  - Social Sciences
JO  - Social Sciences
SP  - 161
EP  - 170
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2326-988X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13
AB  - Most recent reports present a bleak and gloomy picture of the state of human rights and democracy around the world. This is particularly true in Africa, where the renaissance of democratic revival in the 21st century is rapidly giving way to narratives of doom and gloom. Though Somaliland approved its constitution in 2001, established a multi-party political system, and held local council, presidential, and parliamentary elections in the first decade, there are some challenges hindering democratization processes, holding creditable elections, protecting human rights, and women’s political representation. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to assess the current status of Somaliland’s elections, human rights, and women’s political participation, it also reviews electoral challenges, human rights abuses, and gender-based violence that have been encountered and considers the prospects for the future. However, this article revealed that there is a poor legal framework, strong clan politics, and limitations on free media expression. Somaliland adopted laws and policies to protect human rights but faced implementation issues. In addition to that, opposition leaders and party members faced imprisonment and intimidation, whereas women’s’ political participation remained low. The paper therefore calls on Somaliland government to review the electoral laws to address gaps and ensure transparency, fairness, and inclusivity in the electoral process; take immediate measures to protect freedom of media expression; enforce existing laws and policies aimed at protecting human rights; and introduce gender quotas to increase women’s representation in all levels of government.
VL  - 12
IS  - 4
ER  -

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Author Information

Abdiaziz Harun Mohamed

Academic Department, Civil Service Institute, Hargeisa, Somaliland

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APA Style

Abdiaziz Harun Mohamed. (2023). Elections, Human Rights and Women’s Political Participation in Somaliland: Challenges and Prospects. Social Sciences, 12(4), 161-170. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13

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ACS Style

Abdiaziz Harun Mohamed. Elections, Human Rights and Women’s Political Participation in Somaliland: Challenges and Prospects. Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(4), 161-170. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13

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AMA Style

Abdiaziz Harun Mohamed. Elections, Human Rights and Women’s Political Participation in Somaliland: Challenges and Prospects. Soc Sci. 2023;12(4):161-170. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13,
  author = {Abdiaziz Harun Mohamed},
  title = {Elections, Human Rights and Women’s Political Participation in Somaliland: Challenges and Prospects},
  journal = {Social Sciences},
  volume = {12},
  number = {4},
  pages = {161-170},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ss.20231204.13},
  abstract = {Most recent reports present a bleak and gloomy picture of the state of human rights and democracy around the world. This is particularly true in Africa, where the renaissance of democratic revival in the 21st century is rapidly giving way to narratives of doom and gloom. Though Somaliland approved its constitution in 2001, established a multi-party political system, and held local council, presidential, and parliamentary elections in the first decade, there are some challenges hindering democratization processes, holding creditable elections, protecting human rights, and women’s political representation. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to assess the current status of Somaliland’s elections, human rights, and women’s political participation, it also reviews electoral challenges, human rights abuses, and gender-based violence that have been encountered and considers the prospects for the future. However, this article revealed that there is a poor legal framework, strong clan politics, and limitations on free media expression. Somaliland adopted laws and policies to protect human rights but faced implementation issues. In addition to that, opposition leaders and party members faced imprisonment and intimidation, whereas women’s’ political participation remained low. The paper therefore calls on Somaliland government to review the electoral laws to address gaps and ensure transparency, fairness, and inclusivity in the electoral process; take immediate measures to protect freedom of media expression; enforce existing laws and policies aimed at protecting human rights; and introduce gender quotas to increase women’s representation in all levels of government.},
 year = {2023}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Elections, Human Rights and Women’s Political Participation in Somaliland: Challenges and Prospects
AU  - Abdiaziz Harun Mohamed
Y1  - 2023/07/21
PY  - 2023
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13
T2  - Social Sciences
JF  - Social Sciences
JO  - Social Sciences
SP  - 161
EP  - 170
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2326-988X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20231204.13
AB  - Most recent reports present a bleak and gloomy picture of the state of human rights and democracy around the world. This is particularly true in Africa, where the renaissance of democratic revival in the 21st century is rapidly giving way to narratives of doom and gloom. Though Somaliland approved its constitution in 2001, established a multi-party political system, and held local council, presidential, and parliamentary elections in the first decade, there are some challenges hindering democratization processes, holding creditable elections, protecting human rights, and women’s political representation. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to assess the current status of Somaliland’s elections, human rights, and women’s political participation, it also reviews electoral challenges, human rights abuses, and gender-based violence that have been encountered and considers the prospects for the future. However, this article revealed that there is a poor legal framework, strong clan politics, and limitations on free media expression. Somaliland adopted laws and policies to protect human rights but faced implementation issues. In addition to that, opposition leaders and party members faced imprisonment and intimidation, whereas women’s’ political participation remained low. The paper therefore calls on Somaliland government to review the electoral laws to address gaps and ensure transparency, fairness, and inclusivity in the electoral process; take immediate measures to protect freedom of media expression; enforce existing laws and policies aimed at protecting human rights; and introduce gender quotas to increase women’s representation in all levels of government.
VL  - 12
IS  - 4
ER  -

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