The Somali Women Journalists Association (SOMWA), in partnership with UNESCO, has urged stronger protection for journalists in Somalia, particularly women, who continue to face increasing online and physical harassment.
The call came during a one-day workshop held in Mogadishu under the theme “Digital Safety and Gender Justice: Ending Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists.” The forum brought together journalists, diplomats, and human rights defenders to mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists.
SOMWA Executive Director Maryan Seylac opened the event with a powerful statement, saying an attack on a journalist is “an attack on truth, accountability, and the people’s right to know.” She warned that online abuse targeting female journalists in Somalia has risen sharply, describing it as a deliberate attempt to silence women’s voices in the media.
“When women journalists are silenced, democracy itself suffers,” Seylac said, calling for collaboration between government institutions, civil society, and tech companies to make digital spaces safer.
A recent SOMWA report found that one in three Somali women journalists faces digital harassment every year, mostly through smear campaigns and threats.
The findings mirror global trends, with UNESCO data showing that 73 percent of female journalists worldwide have been victims of online abuse.
British Deputy Ambassador to Somalia, Sam Thomas, praised SOMWA’s leadership and said the UK remains committed to promoting media freedom and journalist safety.
“Justice delayed is justice denied. Ending impunity for crimes against journalists is vital,” he said, while also paying tribute to slain Somali reporters such as Amun Abdullahi, who was killed last year because of her reporting.
UNESCO representative Misako Ito revealed that over 1,800 journalists have been killed globally since 2006, with 90 percent of cases still unresolved. She said Somalia remains one of the most dangerous countries for journalists.
OHCHR’s Kirsten Young stressed that silencing journalists allows human rights abuses to go unreported, while UN Women’s Rukaya Mohamed described the digital space as “a double-edged sword,” noting that freedom of expression is central to women’s rights.
“Technology should empower women journalists, not silence or threaten them,” Mohamed said.
Experts at the workshop highlighted gaps in Somalia’s legal framework, including the absence of laws specifically addressing gender-based and digital crimes. However, they welcomed the Data Protection Act of 2023 as a step forward in regulating misuse of personal data.
They recommended new legal reforms, training for law enforcement and judiciary officials on digital crimes, and stronger implementation of data protection measures with a gender perspective.
Speaking at the event, Abdullahi Xayir, Director-General at the Ministry of Information, said the government is committed to protecting press freedom and ensuring journalist safety. He added that a draft social media policy is being finalized to address emerging online threats.
Closing the session, Maryan Seylac reiterated the need to empower women journalists rather than treat them as victims.
“Women journalists are not victims to be protected, they are leaders who must be supported,” she said. “Protecting them is both a moral duty and a democratic responsibility.”
She ended with the words of Kenyan journalist Salome Sakwe: “To silence a woman journalist is to silence a generation of truth.”
