newly-elected president of the Puntland Abdiweli Gaas
Hiiraan Online
Sunday, January 12, 2014
The newly-elected president of the semiautonomous Somali State of Puntland Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas said that he was intending the inclusion of women in his cabinet as part of his policy to respect gender balance in the new Puntland administration.
Mr Gaas made the announcement during a lengthy meeting with members from Somali women’s association who have been meeting in the provincial capital of Garowe for the past several days where they issued a call for a major female inclusion into the expected cabinet in the regional state.
“Mr. President as you are aware women were denied their rights in the recently formed parliament of Puntland so, in your capacity as president we request you not to confine women’s involvement in your government to only one ministry---women have a big role in the community than men so, we need to play our role in the government” the Somali women told the newly-elected president of Puntland
The regional leader noted that he accepted the women’s demands, saying he was fully aware that women were those who rescued the people of Somalia for the past 22 years of lawlessness in the country during which women had buckled themselves down to cover the daily bills of their families across the country.
“I recognize your influence in the community and I promise in front of you that my government will be based on justice and equality and I will give more consideration to your requests” President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali told the Somali women during the meeting at his compound in Garowe on Saturday.
Hiiraan Online English News Desk