FESOJ completed panel discussion with disable journalists, media owners and managers in Mogadishu, Somalia
Mogadishu, July 18, 2024 – Journalists from various media houses, media managers, media associations, members of the trusted person committee, representative of CSO and important members from the Somali Disable Journalists Association have completed one-day panel discussion with disabled journalists in Mogadishu, Somalia.
The panel discussion event was conducted on July 18, 2024 at Sahafi Hotel in Mogadishu city, Somalia, with 30 persons in attendance.
The panel discussion organized by the Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) was aimed to follow-up mapping of journalists with disabilities and responding to their special needs that have been held last year on July 6, 2023.
“This panel discussion event is important in providing platform for the disable journalists to further discuss with the media mangers and CSO representative their challenges in terms of getting equal employment rights opportunities as with the able journalists.” Farah Omar Nur, FESOJ Secretary General said in his opening remarks.
He further stressed the panel discussion is intending to reflect on the challenges the disable journalists are facing and deliberate on the recommendations issued on how to address those obstacles.
“The panel discussion event is also highlighting and focusing on the outcome of the deliberation on the assessment priority needs and challenges raised during the last follow up meeting conducted on June 22, 2024 in Mogadishu, Somalia.” Ahmed Mohamed Ali Sharif, FESOJ head of training department elaborated.
During the panel discussion debate process, the panel discussion was led by Fardowsa Sahal, female journalists from FESOJ as moderator and three panelists consisting of a media manager, member from the Somali Disable Journalists Association (SODJA) and representative from the Somali Non- State Actors (SONSA).
During the debate proceeding, the presentations and the deliberations highlighted the challenges the disable journalists are experiencing that include disable journalists are not given equal job, salaries and trainings opportunities as others, disable journalists are discriminated at workplaces, media station facilities are not disable accessible.
During the panel discussion, the valuable recommendations made include provide the disable journalists with necessary equipment facilitating their media works, establish an organization that unites journalists with disabilities and advocate for their rights, media managers and owners to think and consider how to employ disable journalists and give them equal rights as others and to provide them with safety training to improve their overall wellbeing and security.
The panel discussion event is part of program activities funded by the EU, supported by Free Press Unlimited (FPU) and implemented by FESOJ in cooperation with VIKES.
