Somalia: Only One in Ten Women Journalists Feel Safe At Work in Somalia, NUSOJ Report Finds

What the report says

A new report by the National Union of Somali Journalists says women journalists in Somalia face serious safety, pay and discrimination problems in their workplaces. The report was launched on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists and focuses on conditions in Mogadishu and across Somalia’s six Federal Member States.

According to the union, only one in ten women surveyed said they felt safe at work. More than half said they felt unsafe or very unsafe, while many reported weak job protections: fewer than half had written contracts and only a small share had full-time employment. The study also says salary delays and unpaid work are common, leaving women more vulnerable to pressure and retaliation.

The findings also point to widespread harassment in newsrooms, on assignments and online. NUSOJ says some respondents described sexualized deepfakes generated with artificial intelligence, and that many women were dissatisfied with internal complaint systems. The report further says women journalists often face blocked career advancement, limited training and unequal access to promotions and assignments.

NUSOJ is calling on media organizations, employers and authorities to strengthen protections, end exploitative hiring practices, ensure timely pay and create credible systems to handle complaints. The report, supported by UNDP through the Bilan Project and funded by the European Union, is intended to pressure newsrooms and officials to treat workplace abuse as a serious rights issue, not a private matter.