# Asha Gelle Dirie (Caasha Geelle Diiriye)

> Asha Gelle Dirie (born 1966): Puntland's women's minister 2005–2012 and chair of the constitutional review commission.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/people/asha-gelle-dirie/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## Who is she?

Asha Gelle Dirie is a Somali politician and civil society activist ([Wikipedia, Asha Gelle Dirie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asha_Gelle_Dirie)). She has worked for women's place in public life for four decades ([Women, Peace and Security NGO Working Group, Asha Gelle Dirie](https://womenpeacesecurity.org/peacebuilder/asha-gelle-dirie)). This page covers her public role.

## Early life and teaching

She was born in Galkayo in 1966 ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asha_Gelle_Dirie)). She studied at the [Lafoole College](/en/institutions/lafoole-university/) of Education of the Somali National University, and then taught in Mogadishu (same source).

## Building women's groups

From 1984 to 1988 she worked for Somali Women Education ([WPS Working Group](https://womenpeacesecurity.org/peacebuilder/asha-gelle-dirie)). In 1988 she founded Somali Women Concerns, a local NGO active in Mogadishu and Kismayo (same source). It still works in Puntland's main cities (same source). She also chaired We Are Women Activists (same source). She later founded the Asha Gelle Foundation in Puntland ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asha_Gelle_Dirie)).

## In Puntland government

From 1998 she was a member of Puntland's House of Representatives for [Mudug](/en/regions/mudug/) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asha_Gelle_Dirie)). From 2005 to 2012 she was Minister of Women Development and Family Affairs ([WPS Working Group](https://womenpeacesecurity.org/peacebuilder/asha-gelle-dirie)). The ministry grew a great deal under her ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asha_Gelle_Dirie)). She sat on the jury of the Puntland Education Fund, which rewards strong students ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asha_Gelle_Dirie)). See [Puntland](/en/states/puntland/).

## The constitution

In May 2014 she was appointed to the Constitutional Review and Implementation Commission ([WPS Working Group](https://womenpeacesecurity.org/peacebuilder/asha-gelle-dirie)). The five-member body oversaw reform of the Provisional Federal Constitution (same source). She served as its chair until 2015 ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asha_Gelle_Dirie)).

## At the Security Council

On 27 January 2017 she briefed the UN Security Council on Somalia, speaking for civil society ([WPS Working Group](https://womenpeacesecurity.org/peacebuilder/asha-gelle-dirie)). She said "a massive structural transformation is required to advance women's representation in politics" (same source).

## In short

A women's rights organiser from Galkayo who founded women's groups and served as a minister in Puntland.

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