Women who led
Halima Ismail Ibrahim (Xaliimo Yarey)
Halima Ismail Ibrahim, known as Halima Yarey, is a Somali agricultural scientist who chaired Somalia's National Independent Electoral Commission. She led it through the 2016 and 2017 elections and began voter registration work toward one-person, one-vote polls. She was nominated for the 2016 Chatham House Prize. In September 2026 she published a memoir, Hidden Waves.
Halima Ismail IbrahimXaliimo Ismaaciil Ibraahim · Halima Yarey
- Known as one of
- Women who led
- Era
- The Republic, 1960 to 1991; Rebuilding without a state, 1991 to 2012; Who holds power, 2012 to now
- Sources
- 2 sources
Who is she?
Halima Ismail Ibrahim is a Somali academic and public official (Wikipedia, Halima Ismail Ibrahim). She chaired Somalia's National Independent Electoral Commission (same source). She is also known as Halima Yarey (Dawan Africa, 27 September 2026). This page covers her public role only.
Study and teaching
She was born in Mogadishu and went to school there (Wikipedia). She took a degree in agricultural science (same source). She then earned a master's degree at the University of Turin in Italy (same source). She was a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Agriculture at the Somali National University (Dawan Africa). She worked with the United Nations until 1996 (Wikipedia). See universities in Somalia.
Electoral commission
She was elected chair of the National Independent Electoral Commission (Wikipedia). Under her lead the commission began voter registration (same source). In 2016 and 2017 the presidential and parliamentary elections were held, with voting in six cities (same source). That vote was still indirect (same source). Women won 24 percent of the seats, short of a 30 percent target (same source). She was nominated for the 2016 Chatham House Prize for this work (same source).
The commission began building its headquarters in 2018 (Wikipedia). It planned a one-person, one-vote election for 2020 and 2021, at a cost of 53 million dollars (same source). Somalia's last such national vote had been in 1969 (same source). See women in Somali society and the timeline from 2012 to 2026.
Memoir
In September 2026 she launched a memoir, Hidden Waves, in Mogadishu (Dawan Africa). It has 14 chapters and 366 pages (same source). Ministers, members of parliament, academics and writers attended the launch (same source). She plans to use the sales to support the education of orphaned children (same source). This includes building a school for orphans in Dhuusamareeb (same source).
In short
An agricultural scientist who chaired Somalia's electoral commission through the 2016 and 2017 elections and later published the memoir Hidden Waves.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Halima Ismail Ibrahim · en.wikipedia.org
- Dawan Africa, 27 September 2026 · dawan.africa
Halima Ismail IbrahimXaliimo Ismaaciil Ibraahim · Halima Yarey
- Known as one of
- Women who led
- Era
- The Republic, 1960 to 1991; Rebuilding without a state, 1991 to 2012; Who holds power, 2012 to now
- Sources
- 2 sources
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Where this matters
Same era
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- Birmingham (Somali diaspora)About 17,000 to 21,600 Somalis live in Birmingham (Census 2021), mostly in Nechells, Newtown, Small Heath and Alum Rock. History, work, health and ties home.
- Bristol (Somali diaspora)9,167 people in Bristol identified as Somali or Somalilander in Census 2021, the city's largest minority group. Where they live, work, housing, leaders and ties home.
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada2,845 people of Somali origin lived in Calgary at the 2021 Census, plus 890 in Brooks. How they came, who serves them and what they face.
- Denmark (Somali diaspora)21,885 people of Somali origin lived in Denmark in 2026, half born there. Numbers, history, work, permit reviews, and ties home.
- DjiboutiAbout 13,900 refugees from Somalia live in Djibouti (Aug 2026): numbers since 1990, Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl, the 2017 refugee law, Arta 2000 and 2025 returns.
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- Hawo Tako (Xaawo Taako)Hawo Tako (Xaawo Taako), the Somali Youth League member who died in Mogadishu in January 1948 and is remembered as a national heroine.
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- Fadumo Dayib (Faadumo Daayib)Fadumo Dayib (born 1972): former refugee, nurse and UN health expert, first woman to run for President of Somalia (2016).