Somali Presidential Hopeful Says It's Time for Women to Lead

Somalia's indirect elections, scheduled for October 2021 will see members of parliament selected by clan delegates. Members of parliament will then decide who the next president will be.

Lawmaker Fawzia Yusuf Haji Adam says it's time for a woman's touch and on July 13, 2021 announced her candidacy for president. But getting enough support from Somalia's lawmakers, the vast majority of them men, will be a challenge. Fawzia says she will bring a new lease on life to the country - if elected- by prioritising security, economic empowerment and education. Her male counterparts, she says, have failed to do so.

Somalia is a Muslim nation with conservative traditions that make a majority of its citizens reject female leadership. Analyst Anwar Abdifatah, a lecturer at Somalia's National University said: " It is not impossible for Fawzia to win the presidential election in parliament, but she will have to overcome longstanding traditions." Some citizens believe that if given the opportunity, Fawzia, a former deputy prime minister and foreign minister, can bring change.