The workshop for Somali media for change phase 2 took place in Jazeera Hotel Mogadishu for three days from 19th to 21st of November.
In the first day on 19th the chairperson opened and briefed the new journalist on Somali Media for Change phase 1.She well informed the ladies to seriously take advantage of the three days the workshop will last.
Abuukar representing IMS/Fojo who was present at the opening of the program encouraged the women journalist to also to take advantage of this knowledgeable program and assured them that IMS/Fojo are there to support the much they can.
Nasriin who was one of the facilitators and also a member of SWJ briefly gave an introduction on how Sexual harassment takes place in different ways for the new women journalist to get the view of what brought them together for the three days of the workshop.
There were questions that were prepared by the facilitators to make them open up and make them get friendly with the topic.
One journalist opened up and shared her story on the first day whereby she mentioned that one of the nights her director in the media house she worked in ringed her and asked for a relationship between him and her. The Lady went against the proposal and after some few days her boss started to give her hard times in the workplace by overloading her, so much punishments even after slight mistakes and in the end he went beyond limits whereby he started deducting $90 dollars of her salary. The lady took a strong decision and quit her job which she preferred to stay at home for two years. She said that after two years is when she recently got back to work in a different media house.
The workshop continued in a successful way to the 20th and 21st of November whereby it made all the female journalist to feel free and confident unlike the first day.
Another female journalist shared that the head of reports in the media approached her and she denied, after some few days he posted her picture on facebook mentioning that he got married to her and to add on it after 24hours he posted again on facebook that he divorced her and the reason he gave was she betrayed him that she was not a virgin. That was very shameful of him and the lady journalist mentioned that she left the workplace because of him tarnishing her reputation and there was no one to take action against him.
Another Journalist shared that one of her colleague in the work place threatened her that if she doesn’t stop or reduce her speed at work whatever happens to her she shouldn’t be regretting and got her worried, she also mentioned that she started watching out herself which made her so uncomfortable with her work, one while she was reporting news the colleague came back to work which never happens and stated showing signals to her. For her safety the lady ran away while the news was on and shared the incident with family and the management whereby when the gentleman was called all he mentioned was it was just a joke and no action was taken against him.
Another female journalist mentioned that she was working for four years without salary and the reason being that she was studying while working and her boss mentioned to her that she would only get paid if she stops her studies which discouraged her but she didn’t give up hence she continued without salary. There was no encouragement from the management sector for her.
The female journalists present mentioned suggested that for this type of problems to reduce there should be more awareness on the understanding of sexual harassment.
Trainings to be done for the female journalists to build their capacity for they mentioned the management does not send them for training’s.
The female journalist to face all types of work assigned by the management to them so that the believe of the management that is only male journalist can do the hard job will be outdone.
It has been three fruitful days that made the female journalist to gain their confidence to speak out things that happened back two to three years. All this happened after they saw young female journalist that has taken part in the other workshops and were educating them because of them benefiting from the former workshops. It set a good example for the young female journalists and encouraged them.
During the last day on 21st The chairperson of SWJ closed the workshop thanking all the participants and encouraged them to welcome each and every new lady to the field. She mentioned in her last words that all the women journalist should work together and always have a goal towards their hardwork.
Abukar the program coordinator for IMS/FOjo was appreciating the fact that this training fellow women journalist were doing unlike the other trainings whereby other ladies were doing it. This showed a very big change has taken place and will continue like that God willing.
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