
Somalia’s first female-led current affairs TV show by media team, Bilan, will tackle taboo topics like periods and women in politics, with a panel featuring at least 50% women. Launching on International Women’s Day, 8 March, it resembles BBC Question Time, aiming to engage audiences across the country through debate. Positive reception followed a successful pilot, addressing the lack of period education.
Bilan, established in 2022 with UNDP support, led by Nasrin Mohamed Ibrahim, confronts discrimination in Somalia’s male-dominated media sector, which mainly focuses on politics. The project was set up to offer women a safe space to tell their stories. With EU funding, it plans expansion in 2024, recruiting 20 journalists and offering grants for investigative reports. Bilan provides a platform for under-reported stories, particularly those concerning women, including topics like HIV, child abuse, and postnatal depression. Ibrahim emphasizes the importance of women journalists in portraying diverse perspectives.
Photo: (c) Bilan