FESOJ has conducted training workshops on reporting persons with disabilities in Mogadishu and Kismayo
Mogadishu, Monday, March 14, 2023: In partnership with the U.N Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), the Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) has conducted 3- day training workshops on reporting persons with disabilities simultaneously in Mogadishu city, Banadir region and Kismayo city, Jubbaland State from 11 th to 13 th March 2023.
A total of 80 selected participants including persons with disabilities, members from CSO organizations assisting persons with disabilities and journalists were the key participants in the training program that was concurrently held in the cities of Mogadishu and Kismayo.
The training sessions has been facilitated by experienced journalists and people with disabilities who are very much involved in the current issues of the people with special needs.
The main intention of these training workshops was to increase how should journalists understand the challenges the people with disabilities are facing, and learn more about the International Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and laws on the disability and their care; and their acceptance for equal opportunities within the Somali community residing in the cities of Mogadishu and Kismayo respectively.
Furthermore, the members of the disabled people, including journalists and those who advocate their rights and those who have not yet received the consideration of the society have exchanged with other journalists the best ways to cover and discuss their situations through the media.
In addition, the participants have received lessons on reporting process, journalist’s ethics, international agreements on human rights and appeals regarding to those issues.
The journalists and the persons with disabilities have discussed how best can they cooperate to improve the empowerment of civil society, and they have exchanged valuable suggestions
Moreover, during the three-day training, the participants were given opportunity and time to debate how to reinforce friendly teamwork between disable persons and media reporters in jointly improving the role of the media covering programs and stories with disability.
Fardowsa Abdulle Maalin, who is visually impaired, said that when she was young in Saudi Arabia, she used to listen to a television program about a student who was been taught with braille system for the blind persons. I convinced my mother to bring me to Mogadishu and I learned the braille writing , and that was because of the TV program I used to listen.
Abdinasir Isse Ali, one of the journalists who tested lack of sight by blindfolding his eyes said, “The people with the sight are the ones who asks a lot of questions to know more, and those who are open minded than some people who still trust themselves.”
In his closing remarks for the training workshop in Mogadishu, Mohamed Mohamyd Adde, veteran Somali journalists indicated the person with disabilities and journalists should take advantage of their integration during the three-day training program and establish WhatsApp page to continue exchange of experiences and share valuable information.
The Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) has implemented similar training programs from the 5 th to 7 th March 2023 in the cities of Dhuusamareeb , Galmudug State and Garowe of Puntland State.
FESOJ is also intending to undertake and extend this type of training programs in other regional cities as well in the near future.
