Biden's State Department is spending thousands of dollars to address gender inequality in Somalia's media industry, including providing training for female journalists.
The State Department is paying the Somali Women Journalists Organization (SWJO) $22,800 to close the “gender gap in Somalia's media industry” by providing training in video editing and graphic design to 20 female journalists in Mogadishu. There is. according to Stored in the federal spending database.Social media Post SWJO's show shows Somali female journalists learning how to use Photoshop and other content creation software.
SWJO's Website It said it was training female journalists as a way to contribute to peace and security in Somalia. (Related: Biden State Department spends thousands of dollars to 'empower' Yemeni women with technology as rebels fire rockets from country)
The grant was part of a government program aimed at achieving U.S. foreign policy goals, advancing U.S. national interests and strengthening national security, according to federal spending databases.
SWJO To tell It is “determined to address the gender gap in Somalia's media industry” by “equipping women journalists with the skills” they need to “advocate for the right to equality and fair pay.”
The training is expected to involve 20 female journalists and cost approximately $1,140 per woman. Somalia's per capita gross national income, the total amount of wages earned by Somalis divided by the country's population, was $600 in 2022. according to to the World Bank.
A Somali government soldier looks at a body believed to be that of an al-Shabaab militant (Reuters/Faysal Omar)
It is unclear how much of an impact U.S. digital media spending will have on Somalia, given the domestic situation.
In 2022, less than half of Somalis had access to electricity. according to to the World Bank. Furthermore, in 2017, only 2% of Somalis had access to the internet. Hit World Bank.
Somalia has other pressing issues beyond gender inequality in the media industry.
Only 52% of Somalis have access to basic water supply. according to To UNICEF. More than 3 million people in Somalia struggle to access food. according to to the British Red Cross.
The State Department has funded several other women's journalism initiatives in developing countries in recent years.
Department store paid $53,768 to “empower” female journalists in Gaza to “write about gender issues” in September 2022, and approximately $31,000 in 2021. target According to a government spending database, Ethiopia is “building institutional democracy” by “empowering women journalists.”
The State Department and SWJO did not immediately respond to Daily Caller News Foundation requests for comment.
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