amal says:

@ Khadar Elmi Ahmed

To be honest the Somali culture compare to the Asian culture and Arab culture is different and we tend to be more positive and loving people especially when it comes to women. I agree with you Somali culture is not abusive especially to their women unlike the Pakistanis and I have Pakistani friends they actually admire our culture some even want to marry Somali men because they think we are positive and kind people. But the issue here is more to do with women engaging in important roles in our society

The problem with us is they overlook the intelligence of a woman saying she is just a woman she won't know or she is not capable of such thing or she can't handle this or that. Also Somalis don't appreciate their woman at all I believe. Yes they work back in our country and that is because they have no choice when their husbands are busy chewing and expect to be served like a king when he comes home kkk Somali mothers are very hard workers, they are like survivors and very strong mothers too.

But to be honest I don't believe in doing something that endangers a woman but there are many roles that women can excel just like their male counterpart, the issue of gender discrimination can be quite arguable and complicated . But I have to say you have pointed out important aspects of our culture that needs to be praised compered to Asian culture

barwaaqo says:

Sorry, correction: praise not impraise

Mohamed_Mahmoud says:

Whilst it is good to hear our people talk, I think in this particular discussion, the bottom line has been reached, and nothing pertinent could be said which has not already be said. It seems to me the issue of women in media was a storm in a tea-cup. No one is stopping any lady from being a journalist, and the stereotyping raised here is simply pathetic. The ladies themselves need to pursue journalism if that is want they want. And I am sure outlets like somaliland press will accommodate them in their midst.

Many of the ladies contributing here seems to be western-type with sweeping statements like – men chew mirraa, they do not work, and so forth. That is not helpful. Granted, that may be the facts, bit it is not the way to proceed, when we are still at infancy state in out nation. Feminism will not help women further themselves in an Islamic environment like ours. Each party must learn to respect each other, and live to cultivate mutual understanding. I fear I see women yapping about how many A* they got in the GSCEs, and in the process missing on marriage, remaining bitter and twisted ending in misery. Education should open up new horizon for you to make you a better person, not some canning person dwelling on non-issues which are neither here nor there. So, education should make you better happy and easily integrated person, if it does not then you need help!

Now, the following are misapprehension needed to be corrected. Islam puts the responsibility of looking after the family on the Husband. But, if the wife wants, she can work and whatever she earns is her to do with want she sees fit. She must while doing that observe hijab. The responsibility of the house falls on her, and likewise if the Husband wants to help, he can.

Ps. It is not Somalians, for God sake. It is Somalis, or rather Somalilanders.

ifrah.jama says:

@Mohamed. I think you are the one who is confused? In the website. It quite clearly refers to the Caliphate period as well as women of today like Benazir Bhutto. The history spans showing Islamic scholars female existed before our time or Benazir Bhutto. So, Why did you only mention her? I guess you want to twist information to down play the history of Islamic feminism. i.e muslim females rights.

Also, not one of the females who commented on this website mentioned wearing trousers or wanting to be biological equal to men. You seem into changing information for you're own gains. Typical. I guess our criticism of our SL men eating chat or mira and mostly unemployed has really got under you're skin. Even thought it more of a fact then the rubbish you tried to claim Islamic feminism is about by deliberately comparing it to western feminism which isn't what I was talking about. kkkkk Pathetic.

Feminism or Islamic Feminism was what I referred to? Most of these women you mentioned to have benefits came as refugees who wear their 'Abaya's' and head scarf. There a lot who even wear ninja clothing. It is the young youth who before marriage live and study in these countries wearing western clothes.

These western Muslim youths are all either working part-time or students before they marry (no benefits). It is their refugee mothers who are on benefits. However, When they get married they almost always revert to their traditional dress mostly and have children. Oh yeah and get fat as you pointed out. Getting fat isn't a stigma to us BTW at that stage because as African women we know and appreciate that we are voluptuous by inheritance and not skinny like our men. kkkk

These refugee women who take benefits do so until they can educate themselves. Mostly because their men cannot earn enough to keep them due to their own reasons whether it is lack of education or will or lack of prospects for our men in the west. Still it isn't for our women to wait for these men if they cannot provide they get on with it with the help of the west for which we are very grateful and need at a time where our women need it. Its reality and nothing to feel less proud off. I know we SL don't like charity but get over it I say cause we are not rich or wealthy. Its sad how you deem it as something to be ashamed of when SL lives on what these women get and send to their relatives till today. Charity is what SL gets daily from different NGO or the EU. So is it good for them and not for our women in the west. Flawed thinking their don't you think.

Albeit, in America you might find the some mothers who dress in trousers or revealing dress but this also changing slowly as more Muslims have migrated their. It became even easier for them to wear their Islamic or traditional clothing and continue their full Islamic duties.

As a woman, I don't mind those wearing trousers or if they take benefits as it doesn't mean they are any less Muslims. That is just something our men say because they feel guilty that they are unable to provide for their women. The guilt isn't the females as our women are very ambitious and will do whatever they can to get their children educated and with better prospects then them.

The men have to provide for their families and it is them who will be judged if they don't or cannot. So if the woman works or takes benefits as you said it should n't be neither here or their. As it is the man who was either unable to provide or allowed her to work/benefits.

Finally you referred to Single mothers as only in the west. Well let me break the news to you that even in Somaliland their are many single mothers who marry men from the west to only have these men leave them their to work in the west. Some return only to have kids then go back whilst others don't come back . Leaving them either to marry second or third husband living or lving on hand outs from their relatives in the west. So it is ironic and quite amusing how you forget it is these trouser wearing single women in the west who send a share of their earning or 'benefits' to our women back home. kkkkk So good luck with you're little notion that wearing trousers is the only problem our Muslim women face.

Every one in Somaliland knows that it is the women who do all they can to get their relatives back home some money to live. The men save their money and take it to make a business while she brings up the kids and is sending her savings for another relative back home. So save the question do want Islamic women to feel they can live in the west as single mothers on benefits with no prospects. When it is plainly obvious that Why they do that? Out of necessity as unlike you they are realistic about what is happening back home and in the west with most of our men.

Women in Somaliland have always worked even when my grand mother was alive AUN. Be it in the farms or in textiles or building homes. I am proud of our women regardless of you're distortion of Islam to you're own disturbed thinking and downgrading of our ability to weather the hard times coming our impeccably on the other side with the fruits of our labout. i.e SL