The case of Ikraan Tahlil, a pioneering National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) cybersecurity analyst, has become both a political flashpoint in Somalia and a symbol of the fragile gains women have made in the country. Recruited in 2017 on merit, Ikraan rose to head NISA’s cybersecurity division an exceptional achievement in a male-dominated field. Her murder has not only sparked a constitutional crisis between President Farmaajo and Prime Minister Roble but also raised deeper questions about the durability of women’s rights in fragile states. Her story echoes recent events in Afghanistan, where the Taliban’s return to power swiftly reversed two decades of progress for women, replacing female-led ministries with male-only leadership and banning most women from public roles. Like the Taliban, Al-Shabaab’s extremist ideology offers no space for women like Ikraan to hold high-ranking positions in the public security sector. The Somali government and its international partners must ensure that any future political settlement with Al-Shabaab protects and advances women’s rights, particularly in sectors where they have historically been underrepresented. Ikraan’s legacy underscores that a peace which sidelines half the population is neither just nor sustainable.