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Empowering journalists for change: Gender mainstreaming and combating sexual harassment in the newsrooms in Somalia
This initiative is designed to provide 100 media practitioners – both males and females- across five key cities, 20 journalists from each city, with comprehensive knowledge and practical strategies to create safer, and more inclusive workplaces. The three-day workshops will include in-depth discussions on gender mainstreaming principles, identification and management of cases relating to sexual harassment, and practical methods for fostering a culture of respect and equality.
In striving for an equitable media landscape, our workshop on gender mainstreaming and combating sexual harassment sets the stage for transformative change. Empowering voices, fostering respect, and ensuring safe work environments are not just strategies; they are commitments to a more just and inclusive society. Together, we can redefine the narrative and champion dignity for all."
Over the next two months, participants will benefit from interactive sessions, real-life case studies, and networking opportunities with professionals committed to gender equality and safe workplaces. This series of workshops represents a significant step forward in empowering Somali women and men to challenge and change the status quo.
Gender based violence in the media is a growing threat to the work of female journalists and to quality journalism. When it comes to addressing the issues of sexual harassment in the newsrooms, there is a tradition of silence as people are reluctant to raise the issues publicly, or in the workplace for a variety of reasons. This is why 91鶹Ʒ supported the Somali Women Journalists Organization to conduct this series of awareness-raising workshops across Somalia.
UNESCO advocates for the safety of women journalists both offline and online. As a supporter of the , UNESCO collaborates with partners to confront and prevent gender-based violence in and through media. According to UNESCO and ICFJ’s research project entitled The Chilling: Global trends in online violence against women journalists, nearly 73% of our survey women journalists had experienced online violence, and 20% of them had been attacked or abused offline in connection with online violence they had experienced.
The (SWJO) is dedicated to supporting and empowering women in the media industry. Through advocacy, training, and capacity building, SWJO strives to create an inclusive and equitable environment for all journalists.
This project was made possible thanks to the support of UNESCO’s International Programme for Development of Communication (IPDC). IPDC is the only multilateral forum in the UN system designed to promote media development within developing countries, countries in transition, and countries in conflict and post-conflict situations.
