Leader of Jumhooree Party and the MP for Maamigili constituency, Qasim Ibrahim, has stated that women don not need gender quotas to be represented in public office, and that hard work should be enough.
Qasim made these statements at the inauguration ceremony of the party's women's branch, held at the party's headquarters on Monday night.
Qasim had previously claimed that the recent amendment to the decentralization act, mandating that 33% of council seats must be reserved for women, was unconstitutional. While he faced criticism for these comments, he reiterated the same comments once again on Monday night.
The leader of the government coalition partner went on to question the efficacy of gender quotas in women's empowerment, asking if the quota was "a joke" made at the expense of women.
Moreover, he challenged the proponents for the gender quota legislation, reminding them to refer to article 17(b) of the constitution.
Article 17(b) of the constitution states that the special assistance provided to disadvantaged individuals or groups such as the disabled shall not be considered as discrimination. So who are they trying to fool?Qasim Ibrahim
According to Qasim, gender quotas will cause more harm than good. However, he did not elaborate on the disadvantages, stating that he is letting the issue go as JP is part of the incumbent administration's coalition.
