Media Women Network: Empowering Women in Media to Train Digital Safety

Media Women Network conducted an online training session on digital Safety, aimed at empowering Female journalists from various media sectors. The one-day training event brought together 17 women.
The opening speech was delivered by the Chairperson of the Media Women Network, Fowzia Omar, who emphasized the importance of digital Safety for women journalists. She highlighted the vulnerability of women journalists to online attacks and cyber threats. “A female journalist must understand how to protect both her personal and professional data to ensure that her daily life and work run smoothly”.
During the training, participants were introduced to a range of topics focused on digital safety, including an overview of digital threats, methods for protecting digital activities, minimizing the sharing of irrelevant information on social media, strengthening the security of email accounts and other social media platforms, and developing personal digital security plans.
The objectives of the training included raising awareness about digital risks, educating journalists on how to safeguard critical data shared on social media, and encouraging them to speak up if they face any digital threats to seek solutions. Several participants shared personal experiences of online attacks faced by their colleagues.
Shukri Ahmed Ismail, one of the participants, shared how the training changed her approach to social media.
“I run a program that I exclusively share on my social media channels. I had planned to have someone help manage my accounts and post content on my behalf, but after this training, I am no longer willing to trust anyone with my critical work. I’ve learned that it’s important to keep my accounts secure, as someone could easily take over my efforts and tools,” said Shukri.
The trainer, Mahad Jama Koronto, provided the participants with valuable information regarding the specific challenges that female journalists face in the digital. He shared strategies they could use to protect themselves from cyber attacks and other online risks.
A key goal of the training was also to encourage women to speak out and share their experiences of digital threats with others, ensuring that they do not suffer in silence. “It’s essential that women share their digital safety issues with someone they trust so that any problems can be addressed effectively,” said Mahad.
The Media Women Network remains committed to supporting and advancing the role of female journalists in the media industry. The organization will continue to offer digital safety training programs, empowering women journalists to navigate the digital landscape safely and confidently.