Report on Literature Review of the Political Participation and Decision-Making

This chapter description is about the literature review of the research which is related to the issues and challenges faced by the women in field of politics. These challenges may be relating to the decision making and other activities which could be derived from the previous research through this literature review.

The Challenges of Women’s Political Participation under the Lights of Somaliland Political Landscape

In the initial decades, the people of the Somaliland were not habitual to follow the political authority and the clans were not distributed according to the category of superior and inferior. The society was considered as vertical society before the coming of the British in the society. At that time there was no police, soldiers and governing authority in the state. The issues in the society were sort out by the traditional leaders without any social norms which are accepted by all the people (Randall, 1987).

The bureaucratic politics comes in the Somaliland with the law of British. It is commonly said that women empowerment in the society is regulated according to the colonial administration. The mechanism of the decision-making council based on the 48 members and all members are contain on male members. The most common and worst example could be found in the history about the discrimination in the women rights which were implemented through the historical act of law. In the ordinance of 1958, there was no women right to vote. It was considered very first political election in Somaliland in which election was totally based on the male suffrage even though the state was not used to adopt the system of protectorate which is governed by the commissioner. In formal way when policies are made independence in 1960, the political authorities are based on the occupation of the men governance in the regime and for the first time it take political position in the public for the women. The role of the women remains less in the political field especially for women (Bauman, 2002).  

In 1991, when government disintegrated, there was a vacuum in the country after the collapse of regime of Siyad Barre. Then the people were arranged according to the new trend along with the clans living in the country which could be the single unit according to the correction process. If we see indirectly, the women are allowed to take active part in the politics which is made to build the nation which is not allowed to negotiate with the selected members. The leaders in the conference made the cheers group in which leaders support by the people for making peace in the region. When the reconciliatory process is completed, the leaders of the country reschedule the political system in the country in which there is no women in the representation of the country (Bradbury, Abokor, & Yusuf., 2003). 

In today’s world it is impossible to have the economy in which there is no representation of the women in government board of the Somaliland or any other country in the world. Although Somaliland is the country which is claiming political shift from tribe system to multiparty system still there is no offence about the women participation in politics. If you take a look about the politics in the women participation at national and international level, it could be seen that the power of the women could be dropped with the force of men in the society.

Cultural Factors of the Political Participation and Decision-Making

Somaliland is considered as male dominant society which shows that the women empowerment is considered main important criteria in the region as basically the women are responsible for the reproduction of the alliances. In a Somaliland society, a woman is considered as vague. After getting married, a women is still considered a reflection of her father’s blood and her pedigree’s honor is somehow reflected by her attitude and actions. She is protected by her male connections and if she is physically abused or killed, her family may assert reward. On the contrary, she is likely to be the most faithful to her husband’s family as she is connected by her sons.

Usually there is no concept of voting power of women in the tribes as they considered that women is not a permanent member of the one society as they have to marry in some other societies. While determining the position of the women, it is necessary to check the status of women in relevant culture. In men dominant society where men have authority to dominate the position of the women forcefully, the ability of the women lost in this enforcement. In the history of the politics, the politics in the tribes start from the solution of the disputes which is solved by the traditional way. There was concept that the property is relating to the men not to the women. As they considered camel as most expensive property so there was concept that women could not claim for the property such as camel. This example clearly describes the position of the women in tribe politics. In the history, it is most likely to known that the women are recognized by their husbands and fathers name which is their ultimate recognition. There are different leaders in the society which warn about the leadership of the woman in the politics. The women could exert their power in the society through their men especially through their husbands. In current age of the politics the wives of the political bodies are also empower of the women (Zarowsky, 2004).

Although the women in society could claim that they are the basics of the peaceful society as they are the source of peace in the society. While in the discussion about the issues in the Somaliland which is most likely to relate to politics in the tribes women are not included in the exercise of the political actions. A traditional culture concept is thinking about the leadership in the states which consider the politics of women as inferior hold. Traditionally it is knowingly fact that culture of Somaliland is based on the ruler of the men. This is certainly considered as man dominant political environment in the society. It reshapes the society as male in men and female into women.  The sequence of the gender relationship in the society where all the benefits are for the men and women connected to the men could get these benefits. Andrienne Rich defines patriarchy as:

“ A familial-social, ideological, political system in which men by force, direct pressure or through ritual, tradition, law, and language, customs etiquette, education, and the division of labor, determine what part women shall or shall not play in which the female I everywhere subsumed under the make.”

The gender difference in the society is used as basic tool in the society which placed private area for the men and women. This is considered as different element which makes participation in the Somaliland. This is considered as basic factors which form the participation in the society. Differ from the culture inclusive from the participation of the men. If we see the analysis of the Somali which could be understand in the tribe system. In the presence of the political culture which is apart from the involvement of the political system which is political sphere. The domination of the male in the political party which influence the tribe system in the decision making process which could be based on the gender difference to prevention of the women participation in the politics with public affairs. As the constitutional authority which is elected by the support of the family. The support of the family includes the list of the male community who support the female in the decision making process. Practically speaking, be that as it may, a resident who wants to be chosen in the political race procedure should have the help of his/her clan. The recognition and backing of the clan is a suitable ideological group to remember something for their application on the prescribed form political decision. properly, it is just a couple of quantities of women that will remain as applicants in the political race method, this statement is demonstrated by the way that, in the appointment of the basics which hang on September 2005 just fewer women comes in 246 up-and-comers; and out of the 82 up-and-comers who was elected in the elections of parliment that rose, just two were women which was 2.44%. Furthermore, in 2002 nearby decisions just two women are chosen out of four hundered councilors in the specific state (Kleist, 2008).