In the capital city of Garowe, a parliamentary selection committee in Somalia’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland officially swore in 66 newly elected members of the regional parliament on Monday.

The selection process, overseen by clan elders, resulted in the representation of Bari, Mudug, Nugaal, Sool, and Cayn regions.

Despite this significant step, concerns arise as only one out of the 66 lawmakers is a woman, marking the lowest decline in women’s political representation in the region.

The only woman lawmaker is Muno Ahmed Abdale who represents the Mudug region.

Numerous women candidates reported that clan elders declined to select them, showing a preference for male candidates.

Unlike the initially proposed approach earlier in the year, the Puntland 2024 parliamentary selections are now authorized by clan elders, who have a historical tendency to exclude women from political representation.