Shukri Mohamed Abdi,
Reporter
Shukri Mohamed Abdi comes from Baidoa, the regional capital of South-West state. From an early age, she noticed that women in the region were not equal to men and decided to dedicate her life to fighting for their rights.
She finished school in 2019 and went straight into journalism at the same time as studying for her degree. She has worked as a technician and reporter at Radio Baidoa, and a producer at South-West state radio and television.
Shukri faced many challenges after she decided to become a journalist. “I come from a rural clan which does not want any of its members to become journalists, especially young women. We come from the bush, where the concept of being a journalist does not exist.”
She says people from her clan do not understand what being a journalist involves, that they insult and threaten her because of her job. Like other journalists in Somalia, she also faces threats from militant groups.
“Even though I am young, I am ready to leave my family in Baidoa and move to Mogadishu to work for Bilan,” says Shukri. “I want to highlight the problems women face in my region, especially in terms of political representation.”
Shukri has already made a difference in South-West state. She noticed that not a single woman held a Director’s position in the administration and decided to raise the issue in the media. She organised a talk show, inviting people in powerful positions to take part in the debate. Shortly afterwards, a woman was given a job as a Director.