Hargeisa- Today the council of ministers has approved a new Elections Bill which contains quota for women.

The Bill codifies and compiles all election-related laws. It will cover the Presidential, Local Councils and House of Representatives elections.

The Bill says that women will have a quota of 18 seats in the House of Representatives. Th number of seats in the House are 82.

The quota for minority clans was not made clear. But the president says the law proposes for the political parties to give 3 seats. However, it is not clear how that will work practically.

Currently, there is only one woman in the House.

"The new development in this law is that it provides a quota for women and minority clans. This is a huge step forward,” says Guleid Ahmed Jama, a human rights lawyer and director of Human Rights Centre.

The Bill will be submitted to the Parliament.

The Parliament rejected in earlier a similar proposal made by then president of Somaliland, Ahmed Silanyo. Back then the Parliament argued that quota is unconstitutional.

"The difference is that now quota is made part of the electoral law. Previously it was a separate initiative,” Guleid said.

"But the challenge is still ahead. The Parliament, particularly the Upper House (Guurti) is a very difficult and conservative place. Therefore, the struggle will continue” he said.