The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation

and have been the ones covering the conflict and the political situation
in Somalia. They too have suffered from the violence of the warlords
and, currently, of the religious groups who may not approve of their reporting.
Many journalists have either lost their lives or been jailed with -
out legal recourse, so that that local media in Somalia operate in a very
restricted and militarized environment. However, their presence and
work remain crucial in providing information to Somalis living inside and
outside Somalia. In the mid-1990s and the early 2000s, some of the local
media risked hosting radio programmes where civilians were provided
the opportunity to confront warlords in debates. From 2006 to 2008, the
Somali media was critical of such policies of the Abdullahi Yusuf government
as the presence of Ethiopians in Somalia and the support of the
armed opposition groups, and journalists suspected of disapproving of
the government were often assassinated.
The media as an institution has a crucial role to play in promoting peace
and providing the people with information that will help them become
informed citizens. Thus, it is paramount to support this sector technically
and financially. Due to the security situation, the mainstream media has
no visible presence in Somalia, and often covers the country only sporadically.
Perhaps the mainstream media could solidify the capacity of
local media, and form genuine partnerships that could enable both the
local and mainstream media to cover Somalia in depth.
While there are no reliable statistics, discussions with men and women
who served in the military sector have informed me that the military regime
channelled more resources into the military sector than the health
and education sectors. The military was also the main sector offering
basic literacy training, military training and overall employment to many
men and women. Thanks to the military aid received from both sides
during the Cold War, Somalia remains awash with all kinds of weapons
that have enabled the warring groups to continue their violence against
civilians. After the deadly clan warfare that led to the collapse of the
state, warring groups gained access to weapons that were once the property
of the state. Some of the warlords received military support from
Ethiopia, others from clansmen and women living in the Middle East,
Europe and North America. Some members of the Somali diaspora,
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