Baidoa, Somalia – The Somali Media Women Association (SOMWA) announces the restoration of its official Facebook page after it was attacked and disabled for more than 10 days. The recovery was achieved through the joint efforts of SOMWA, the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD)—of which SOMWA is an active and proud member—and Access Now, whose rapid technical and advocacy support played a key role in reinstating the page.
SOMWA’s Executive Director, Maryan Seylac, expressed deep appreciation for the solidarity shown during this period.
She stated:
“We are grateful for GFMD and Access Now for supporting us at this difficult time. This was nothing but a deliberate attack on SOMWA, on press freedom, and on women’s rights. The attack came weeks after our release of the State of Women’s Press Freedom Report, which showed a sharp increase in digital violence. Today, we have become victims of the same violence we were speaking out against.”
Impact During the 16 Days of Activism Campaign.
The disabling of SOMWA’s page occurred at a critical time, coinciding with the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign, when the organisation depends heavily on its digital platforms to amplify its advocacy work. With the page offline, SOMWA’s ability to:
- Disseminate campaign messages
- Engage with the public
- Share updates on women journalists’ safety
- Highlight cases of violations
- Promote gender equality and press freedom
was severely hindered. The SOMWA team were forced to use their personal social media profiles to continue engaging their audience—an approach that posed both logistical and security challenges.
Importance of SOMWA’s Facebook Page
SOMWA’s Facebook page serves as one of its most active communication channels. It provides:
- Public updates on press freedom issues
- Documentation of threats and violations against women journalists
- Training announcements and opportunities
- Advocacy materials and campaigns
- Real-time engagement with media professionals and the Somali public
The attack interrupted these essential functions, demonstrating the vulnerability of civil society organisations to online threats.
Call for Stronger Digital Protection
SOMWA calls on Meta and the Government of Somalia to strengthen protections for media organisations, women journalists, and human rights defenders online. Coordinated digital attacks threaten not only organisations like SOMWA but also the broader principles of press freedom, safety, and women’s rights in Somalia.
SOMWA remains committed to defending these values and ensuring that Somali women journalists continue to have a safe and accessible platform to share their stories, advocacy, and work.
