Amid growing risks, Somali journalists receive safety training funded by Canada

The training in Garowe is part of series of SJS training activities funded by the Canada Fund
for Local Initiatives (CFLI) to enhance media freedom and safety of
journalists in Somalia. More than 90 journalists were trained in 2021 through this initiative. SJS aims to reach 60 more journalists (almost 40% women) this year.

The trainings are designed to empower journalists and enable them to operate in
high-risk environments and in challenging conditions amid growing safety
and security risks related to professional duties of the local
journalists in Somalia. Just on Friday, a cameraman covering for the
Somali National Television,  Ahmed Mohamed Shakur was killed in a bomb attack while embedded with the Somali military during an
offensive in Basra town, about 30km north of Mogadishu while another
cameraman was shot and seriously injured as he was covering the Hayat hotel attack in Mogadishu in August. In June, Two TV journalists were injured in a bomb explosion in central Somalia region of Hiiraan.

“Almost in every region in the country, journalists, including women
reporters, are facing increasingly physical and digital threats. The
inadequate safety training and lack of protective equipment makes the
work of local journalists extremely perilous. Thanks to the funds
provided to us by the Government of Canada’s CFLI, we have been able to
train more than 20 journalists in Puntland as we plan to reach more in
other regions,” SJS Secretary General, Abdalle Ahmed Mumin said.

The training sessions covered key topics including safety and
protection tips for journalists operating in a hostile environment, risk
assessment and preparation plan, as well as dealing with potentially traumatic events for journalists.

At the conclusion of the training, participants spoke about the
significance of the safety training as they expressed their gratitude to
SJS.

“I am pleased that I am one of the journalists who benefited from
this safety training. I have working as a journalist for nine years now.
Actually, this is the first time I got a safety training. I am
grateful to SJS and the Government of Canada for supporting this
training,” said Zubeir Sheikh Abdi of Radio Garowe. “I have benefited a
lot. First of all life safety, planning and how a journalist can operate
in a dangerous area.”

“I thank SJS for providing me the opportunity to participate in this
training which is specifically useful for female journalists. Women
journalists in Somalia face extra challenges and threats compared to
their male counterparts. For me, this training improved my capacity as a
woman journalist. I want to emphasise that more trainings are need to
be extended to journalists in all regions,” said Zamira Abdi Ali from
Puntland State TV.