麻豆社

Maryan Seylac is a journalist from Somalia. She was one of the first female reporters from her city, Baidoa, and set up an organisation that seeks to encourage and support women journalists in the country.

After more than two decades of civil war in Somalia, the path towards gender equality for the nation's women remains a difficult one. According to the World Health Organisation, approximately 98% of women in Somalia undergo female genital mutilation, female adult literacy remains low and employment opportunities for women remain limited.

When Maryan started her career, she was the first female journalist in her town, and the challenges she faced inspired her to start SOMWA in 2006 - a Somali female-only media group which seeks to address issues faced by female journalists. She joined our guest-presenter Isha Sesay in the Focus on Africa studio.

(Photo: Maryan Seylac visits the 麻豆社 Africa team in London. Credit: 麻豆社)