Somalia is an environment where journalists (male and female) have to cover terror attacks or clans’ conflict or violence on intermittent basis. That is why Somali Women Journalists (SWJ) in collaboration with US Embassy today opened a three-day training for 15 female journalists from different media houses in Mogadishu on Hostile Environment and First Aid.
The focus of the training is on how best media stories can be developed and reported from areas of high-risk and the precaution measures the journalists have to employ during reporting from those precarious areas.
Nasrin Mohamed Ibrahim, deputy chairlady SWJ, officially opened the training. She encouraged the attendees to work hard during and after the workshop and take advantage of the important lessons on safety and conflict sensitive journalism.
“The workshop will build the skills and the expertise of the female journalists. The female journalists will be also at par with male journalists in terms of reporting on sensitive and conflict issues,” she said.
Somali journalists always cover terror attacks and this expose them to high risks. Many journalists have died or maimed in those attacks and it was attributed to the lack of training for Somali journalists on hostile environment and first aid.
Ahmed Ali Sharif, the training facilitator, underscored that participants must make good use of the training in safeguarding their own safety.
“This training will equip the participants with the necessary skills that should be employed while reporting from hostile environments as well as the first aid which is also important for such conditions,” he said. “For sure, without doubt the training will contribute to the professionalism of the female journalists in the country.”
The trainees thanked SWJ and US Embassy for conducting such an important training and promised to implement the knowledge they acquire. They asked for more trainings on similar subjects to skill up their journalistic skills and professionalism.
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