Former judge and opposition leader, Birtukan Mideksa, has become the latest significant appointment of a woman to a key public office after Parliament endorsed her appointment as chairperson of the National Election Board of Ethiopia.

The Office of the Prime Minister announced the nomination of Birtukan saying it “realizes [Prime Minister Abiy’s] promise in facilitating electoral reforms and bears testimony to the political will for strengthening an independent election board.”

Birtukan returned to Ethiopia in November following Prime Minister Abiy’s call for national reconciliation aimed at former opposition figures, government critics as well as journalists who were in exile.

The NEBE, which is accountable to Parliament, is an independent and autonomous organ designated for conducting elections in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is scheduled to hold elections in 2020.