NUSOJ Completes Workshops to Strengthen Journalists’ Skills

MOGADISHU (SONNA) – The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) has completed two capacity-building workshops in Mogadishu and Galkayo aimed at strengthening journalists’ skills in ethical reporting, gender equality and digital safety.

Held from October 25 to 29, the workshops brought together 69 journalists from different media organisations to discuss professional standards, workplace conditions and measures to promote safer and more inclusive newsrooms. The activities were supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the Bilan Project and funded by the European Union (EU).

The Galkayo workshop, held on October 25–26, brought together 35 journalists, including 18 women and 17 men, from Puntland and Galmudug. The Mogadishu workshop, held on October 28–29, attracted 34 participants, comprising 16 women and 18 men.

Participants discussed ethical and gender-sensitive reporting, information verification, balanced coverage, workplace discrimination, harassment, equal professional opportunities and journalists’ employment rights. The sessions also addressed digital threats, online harassment, cyberbullying and the misuse of digital content, including AI-generated sexualised images.

NUSOJ Organising Secretary Nima Hassan Abdi said the workshops provided journalists with practical skills and an opportunity to discuss discrimination, digital threats and barriers facing women in the media, while promoting safer and more respectful working environments.

The workshops featured presentations, case studies, group activities and round-table discussions, allowing journalists to share professional experiences and identify common challenges. In Galkayo, Mudug Regional Governor Abdiweli Jibril Beyle officially opened the workshop and welcomed the initiative.

The activities form part of NUSOJ’s broader efforts to improve working conditions and strengthen women’s leadership, safety and equal participation in Somalia’s media sector.