Somali Women Journalists Organization (SWJO), in collaboration with IMS-FOJO on Monday opened three days gender equality training for 10 Somali journalists in Baidoa, the interim administrative capital of Southwest state.
The purpose of the training is to build the journalists’ understanding, awareness and knowledge on gender equality in terms of recruitment, salaries, promotions and access to capacity development opportunities.
The journalists attending the gender equality training were selected from the different media house: TV, radio and print media in Baido town.
Southwest minister of information, Ilyas Ali who officially opened the workshop said his administration is ready to play a decisive role in accelerating gender parity in all sectors of the state especially the media industry.
“The administration of Southwest state is committed to promote equal rights and opportunities for women and men in media through hiring of more women in media industry. As a ministry, we will put more efforts on how to create a conducive work environment where all people have equal rights” said Ilyas.
Addressing the training participants, Farhia Mohamed Kheyre, the chairperson of Somali Women Journalists Organization highlighted that the aim of workshop is to build the awareness and knowledge of journalists and media leaders in order to get an equitable work environment.
“The purpose of the training is to address the challenges of inequality in workplace, SWJO as an advocate for women’s rights will rally all its efforts to make sure female and male journalists will have equal chances and opportunities in workplace” said Kheyre.
Dunia Mohamed Ali, the head if IIDA, a Women Development Organization in Baidoa urged Southwest administration to solve the challenges of inequality so as to promote women’s political and social rights.
Ali urged the journalists to take advantage of the training and pass whatever they learnt during the workshop to their fellow colleagues.
During the first day of the workshop, the participants were taken through important topics such as the responsibilities of female journalists in championing the gender equality in the workplace, identifying stereotypes against women appropriate responses and fair representation of women in the media among others.
The objective of that training is not to just support women journalists rise in positions of power and decision-making but teach them the value of women as journalists and how they should not be abused because of their gender.
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