Bilan, the sole female media team in Somalia, is introducing the nation’s inaugural TV program focusing on current events to be led by a woman.
The upcoming talk show aims to tackle sensitive topics and will feature a panel with at least half of its members being women. This will be a groundbreaking moment for Somali television, as the show will delve into controversial issues such as the lack of female teachers and the struggles faced by women in politics, as well as environmental concerns.
On March 8, which is International Women’s Day, a monthly program will be starting. It will have a similar format to BBC Question Time in the UK and will go to different locations around the country. Audience members will be invited to participate. This program is based on a previous successful pilot in December, where the panel discussed period education in schools.
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According to Naima Said Salah, the host, the response to the pilot was very positive and revealed the significant impact that a severe lack of information had on young girls. Salah, a senior reporter at Bilan, shared that one audience member, a young woman, shared her personal experience during the event. The woman recalled the exact date and time when she got her first period because she had no knowledge of what was happening. She believed she was dying until she confided in her older sister and was able to understand her situation.
Salah expressed her pride in initiating a discussion about menstruation in a public setting. She noted that as a woman, she never had the chance to learn about periods during her childhood, and even her own mother did not discuss it with her. Despite it being considered a taboo, menstruation is a natural occurrence that cannot be overlooked.
Abdulqaadir Mohamed Hassan, the head of the Mogadishu schools network, was delighted. “Due to the lack of female teachers in the education field, young girls often face difficulties during their menstrual periods in adjusting to changing situations. This conversation emphasized the significance of community assistance during this crucial time, especially as they enter adolescence.”
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In 2022, Bilan was founded with assistance from the United Nations Development Programme. The team consisted of six journalists, led by Nasrin Mohamed Ibrahim, who is one of the few female senior news producers in the country. The organization is located in Mogadishu, the capital, at Dalsan media, one of the largest media organizations in Somalia. With financial support from the EU for the next three years, Bilan intends to grow and extend its reach to federal states in 2024. They plan to hire 20 new journalists and provide grants for investigative reports to an additional 10.
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The media industry in Somalia is mostly controlled by men and heavily centers around politics. The six original members of Bilan have all experienced bias and mistreatment in their professional journeys. The organization was established as a haven for women to share their desired narratives, and has shed light on various overlooked topics such as HIV, child mistreatment, and postpartum depression among the Somali community.
Ibrahim stated that a major factor in the lack of representation of women’s stories in Somali media is the predominance of male reporters. However, Bilan will work to alter this dynamic by being a woman herself and gaining access to traditionally private spaces such as homes and prayer rooms where women will feel comfortable sharing their stories with her.
Source: theguardian.com
