These efforts in turn culminated in a provision within Somalia's transitional roadmap process to reserve at least 30 percent of seats for women in the new Federal Parliament.

[3] Under the aegis of the NDI's Andi Parhamovich Fellowship, Ahmed in 2013 worked for three months in Washington, D.C. She developed a program to equip women with the requisite leadership skills for participation in Somali politics and the post-conflict reconstruction process.

Over the course of the fellowship, she also met with U.S. lawmakers and their staff, women's organizations, and the executive director of the Women Legislators of the Maryland General Assembly to learn effective strategies to improve cohesiveness between female MPs and civil society officials, including identifying areas of common concern and forming advocacy coalitions.

[2] Among these conferences was a keynote address by Ahmed in April 2013 at Marietta College's McDonough Leadership Center,[3] as well as a speech the following month at the NDI's Madeleine K. Albright Grant Luncheon.

The annual award is given to a young woman from the NDI or its partner organizations in 65 different nations who strengthens democratic institutionalization in her respective country through advancing female participation in politics.