In Somalia, for the first time, a show about current events will be launched, which will be hosted by women
Somalia will launch the country’s first current affairs television show hosted by women.
It was initiated by Bilan, the only Somali women’s media company, The Guardian reports.
The show, in the format of a debate, will discuss taboo and controversial topics for the country – from menstruation to women in politics. It is planned to be released monthly.
This is the first program on Somali television in which women will make up at least 50% of all participants. The premiere will take place on International Women’s Day – March 8.
| Filming of the pilot episode of the show. Photo: Bilan Media/X |
The pilot release of the project appeared in December 2023. Then a group of experts discussed the issue of girls’ awareness of menstruation.
“One young woman in the audience shared her own experience. She remembered the exact time and day she got her period because she had no idea what was happening to her. She thought she was dying.” – said reporter Naima Said Salah.
Somalia’s media sector is dominated by men, and the main focus is on politics. The new project was created so that women would have a safe space to highlight topics and stories that are important to them.
“One of the reasons why women’s stories are rarely covered in the Somali media is that most of the reporters are men. Bilan will change that. Women will talk to us because we are women too. They will let us into their homes, prayer rooms and personal space”, – said the head of the media company, Nasrin Mohamed Ibrahim.
It will be recalled that in Afghanistan, the Taliban banned series with women and limited the rights of female TV presenters.
Read also: For the first time in history, Pope Francis gave women the right to vote at bishops’ meetings
