Despite their resilience and contributions, many women are still marginalized and, as highlighted in this video, often treated as commodities.

This documentary produced by Baraarug explores the challenges Somali women confront daily and calls for meaningful action to empower them and ensure their rights are recognized.

The post International Women’s Day: The Struggle of Somali Women appeared first on Kaab TV.

However, finding a job has proven extremely difficult, pushing him to think about creating work for himself in order to support both himself and his family.

“I tried to open a small agency, using the knowledge I studied, to design advertising billboards, posters, and wall stickers,” Mohamud said.

Young people make up the largest segment of Somali society. Various estimates in Somalia indicate that nearly 70% of the population consists of young people under the age of 24 or 30. However, available job opportunities do not match this rapidly growing number.

The youth unemployment rate among those aged 15–24 reached approximately 33.9% to 34.1% in 2024, according to a study published by The Global Economy. This highlights a major challenge in Somalia’s labor market. Other reports also indicate that more than 60% of young people are not engaged in education, employment, or vocational training (NEET), further deepening the economic and social risks facing the future of Somali youth.

Puntland’s policies to address severe unemployment crisis

According to Mohamed Sheikh Ahmed, Senior Advisor at Puntland’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Puntland government is implementing policies aimed at addressing the severe levels of youth unemployment in the region.

“Puntland has several policies, including the Puntland Youth Policy and five-year strategic plans, all of which support job creation and youth development in Puntland,” Mohamed Sheikh Ahmed told Baraarug.

There have also been discussions and forums related to youth policy, involving young people, government institutions, and civil society organizations.

These discussions examined youth needs such as education, job creation, skills development, access to health services, and financing.

Feedbacks emerging from these forums emphasized the need for youth policies to genuinely address existing challenges and to ensure that young people are given a visible voice and a meaningful role in decision-making.

The Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Youth and Sports acknowledges that there are major obstacles hindering youth development and job creation.

Mohamed Sheikh Ahmed stated that Puntland’s Five-Year Development Plan currently focuses on building and strengthening youth skills by improving education and vocational training needed to access employment opportunities.

“The plan also emphasizes increasing investment in youth skills to reduce unemployment. This five-year plan also includes support for community programs, sports, and youth participation in social affairs,” adds Mohamed Sheikh Ahmed.

Meanwhile, Abdirisaq Abdinuur, Head of the Academic Department at ADMAS University in Garowe, believes that the quality of education plays a major role in enabling young people to benefit from the labor market.

He strongly criticizes the quality of education at some institutions in the country, arguing that it results in universities producing graduates who lack skills relevant to the job market.

“What is missing is a shift away from the mindset that young people should only become employees,” Abdirisaq Abdinuur said. “If graduates from educational institutions are unable to apply their knowledge in practice, that responsibility lies with the education institutions themselves.”

For many young people, like Mohamud Elmi, starting their own business is far from easy.

Access to local financing for university graduates remains a major challenge, making it difficult for them to turn their business ideas into reality.

“Design work requires high-quality equipment such as computers and printers. An office is also essential. Banks make loans very difficult. The only option is to seek support from family or relatives. There is no other source of financing,” Mahmoud said.

Government jobs are limited, further increasing the importance of the private sector’s role as an employer.

Mohamed Sheikh Ahmed also acknowledges this, noting that expanding domestic economic opportunities could lead to the creation of new jobs.

“Job opportunities can be increased by strengthening our economy in various ways. For example, high electricity costs and expensive rent are major obstacles to the development of small industries. If electricity becomes more affordable and rent is reduced, it would be possible to attract both local and foreign investment,” Mohamed Sheikh Ahmed said.

The post How Puntland Is Tackling Severe Youth Unemployment in Somalia appeared first on Kaab TV.

The youth are demanding change, calling for accountability, opportunities, and a vision that secures their future.

The post Baraarug: Somali Youth Warn of Unemployment, Corruption, and a Blocked Future appeared first on Kaab TV.

High youth unemployment—estimated between 60–67%—has left many young people struggling to find formal work.

Yet, amid these challenges, Somali youth are turning to entrepreneurship, finding innovative ways to create livelihoods, drive economic growth, and even foster peace.

With few formal job opportunities, many young Somalis are starting their own businesses in sectors like retail, transport, technology, agriculture, and creative industries.

By leveraging mobile technology, digital finance, and e-commerce, youth-led startups are solving local problems—from food delivery to online education—demonstrating the role of young innovators in rebuilding the economy.

This week on Baraarug Podcast, we meet Fardowsa Mohamed Ali, a young university graduate from Mogadishu who founded her own event management company.

Fardowsa shared with Baraarug how difficult it was to access investment.

“I tried to get a loan from banks, but it wasn’t possible,” she explained. Instead, she turned to local wholesalers in Mogadishu, negotiating to buy products in small quantities that she could resell through the events she managed. “That way, I could be their loyal customer and still make a profit,” she said.

As the eldest child in her family, Fardowsa struggled to find a job after graduating, making it difficult to support herself and her family.

Today, her small company is thriving. She spoke with Anfa Aden Abdi of Baraarug, sharing the story of how determination and creativity helped her turn challenges into opportunity.

The post Somali Youth Turning Challenges into a Startup: Fardowsa Mohamed Ali’s Journey in Mogadishu appeared first on Kaab TV.

He sees journalism as a family legacy, inherited from his late father, Zubeir Haji Hassan, a skilled radio technician.

Somali journalists face immense risks: over 80 have been killed since 1992, and many have been forced to flee the country.

Amid these dangers, Abdulqadir continues to work in the media while also mentoring a new generation of video producers—helping young people gain professional skills, build independence, and become self-reliant.

Abdulqadir Zubeir Haji Hassan shared his inspiring journey with Baraarug.

The post Resilience in Somali Media: Abdulqadir Zubeir’s Journey and Legacy appeared first on Kaab TV.

This episode of Baraarug highlights the challenges facing women and youth who seek to participate in politics, in a context where no parties genuinely represent them or where they rarely hold senior positions.

Seynab Mohamed Abdi explains how these barriers can be overcome and what political future women and young people could have in Somaliland.

She expresses hope that within the next ten years, as Somaliland opens up new party registrations, women will be able to establish their own party and contest in future elections.

The post Somaliland’s Future: Can Women and Youth Lead in Politics? appeared first on Kaab TV.

The FGM is a deeply harmful traditional practice that victims and human rights groups say leaves physical and emotional scars for life.

Despite decades of awareness campaigns and advocacy, progress has been slow.

Only one federal member state – Galmudug – has enacted a law banning FGM in early 2024. Even there, enforcement is weak, and the practice continues behind closed doors.

For survivors, the memories are vivid and painful.

The post The Enduring Grip of Female Genital Mutilation appeared first on Kaab TV.

The FGM is a deeply harmful traditional practice that victims and human rights groups say leaves physical and emotional scars for life.

Despite decades of awareness campaigns and advocacy, progress has been slow.

Only one federal member state – Galmudug – has enacted a law banning FGM in early 2024. Even there, enforcement is weak, and the practice continues behind closed doors.

For survivors, the memories are vivid and painful.

Nasteho was just seven when her grandmother took her to an elderly woman who performed the cut.

“I didn’t know much about it. My mother lived in another town. When she found out, she asked why. My grandmother said it was our tradition and she wanted to preserve it,” she told Baraarug.

Across the country, FGM cuts across geography and class. Girls in cities and rural areas face the same fate, and those who refuse risk shame, insults, and social rejection.

Some men even insist on marrying only women who have been cut, believing – without evidence – that they will be more “faithful.”

In a displacement camp in Mogadishu, four women told Baraarug they were cut as children; three said they were married off to older men soon after.

Shukri was seven when her aunt performed the procedure.

Orphaned young, she lived with her aunt, who later arranged her marriage.

“The pain only got worse after I married. During childbirth, the midwife cut me again because she said I couldn’t deliver otherwise,” she said. “I once tried to escape, but I was forced back – leaving your husband is not accepted.”

Trauma still lingers

Halima, cut at 11 with scissors and stitched with a needle and thread, says the trauma still lingers.

“Urinating was painful. My periods were painful. My mother married me to an older man for money because we were poor,” she said. “I tell women and girls now: stop this practice.”

Some who once carried out FGM are now speaking out.

Ruqia Abdulle, 68, performed the procedure for four decades, trained only by her mother and with no medical knowledge.

“When women are cut, they suffer during sex, in pregnancy, even during their periods,” she said.

While Ruqia has stopped, she still advocates for a so-called “milder” version known as Sunno, which rights groups stress is also a violation of women’s rights.

In Galkayo, divided between Galmudug in the south and Puntland in the north, the legal ban in the south has not ended the practice.

Asha, 27, a mother of three, remembers the day in 2005 when she was cut. “I was chained at the legs. The anesthetic didn’t work, and I bled heavily,” she said.

Many girls, she added, never receive medical care afterward – some die from bleeding.

Sheikh Dahir Muse, a religious leader in Galkayo, says Islam offers no justification for FGM.

“If a woman causes harm to another during circumcision, Islamic law imposes full compensation for her life. There is no excuse for this practice,” he said.

In one Galkayo IDP camp, former cutter Kamila Hussein has become an advocate against FGM.

“After 15 years, I stopped. Now we meet every week to raise awareness. Families here are abandoning it because they’ve seen it can kill young girls,” she said.

Campaigners say the roots of FGM in Somalia predate Islam, tracing back to ancient Egypt.

“The Pharaoh was not Muslim, yet Somalis – who are Muslim – have held on to this harmful practice,” said Ifrah Ahmed, founder of the Ifrah Foundation. “Every new government talks about banning FGM, but no nationwide law has been passed.”

For now, Somalia remains the country with the highest prevalence of FGM in the world – a place where nearly every girl is marked by a practice many call one of the gravest violations of human rights.

The post Somalia’s Silent Scars: The Enduring Grip of Female Genital Mutilation appeared first on Kaab TV.

Held in the divided city of Galkayo—a hotspot of inter-clan tensions and climate-driven displacement—the workshop brought together a diverse group of participants, including journalists, social media influencers, clan elders, women leaders, youth activists, religious scholars, IDP representatives, persons with disabilities, and officials from both Puntland and Galmudug regional states.

The SJS/Baraarug workshop aimed to explore how local media and civic voices can support peace rather than perpetuate division.

In this video, Mohamed Bulbul of SJS speaks.

The post Baraarug in Galkayo appeared first on Kaab TV.

Held in the divided city of Galkayo—a hotspot of inter-clan tensions and climate-driven displacement—the workshop brought together a diverse group of participants, including journalists, social media influencers, clan elders, women leaders, youth activists, religious scholars, IDP representatives, persons with disabilities, and officials from both Puntland and Galmudug regional states.

The SJS/Baraarug workshop aimed to explore how local media and civic voices can support peace rather than perpetuate division.

In this video, Mohamed Sa’id, Chairman of the Gaalkacyo Youth and Social Integration Platform, speaks about the event.

The post Women, Youth Role in Galkayo Peace | Baraarug appeared first on Kaab TV.