By Nankwanga Eunice Kasirye

The Silent Struggles of an Unmarried Female Journalist in Afar, Ethiopia

Rihana Abdela, 27, is a news anchor and reporter at the Afar Mass Media Agency in Ethiopia. In her four years of work, she has faced persistent marginalization and discrimination, both within her newsroom and from the wider society.

She explains that women in Ethiopia are often second-guessed, and for female journalists, the skepticism is even deeper. Society views women as less capable, and this results in discriminatory assignments, missed opportunities, and exclusion from key decisions.

Rihana’s situation is compounded by her marital status. At 27, she is unmarried-considered a cultural misfit in a community where girls are expected to marry as early as 16. Instead, she devotes herself to caring for her ailing parents. Yet this choice leaves her underpaid, overlooked, and constantly subjected to stigma.

In Afar culture, marriage is seen as a woman’s shield. A husband is believed to protect a woman’s dignity, while unmarried women are treated as vulnerable, unprotected, and “available.” Rehan says this exposes her to multiple forms of abuse, psychological, social, financial, and at times physical-because “no one will stand up for an unmarried woman.” she clarifies

This  cultural bias seeps into her workplace as well. She recalls countless times when her abilities were dismissed  with the cutting phase “she cant do it”  at work, Rihana shares, the first attack always begin with silent resentments, the whispers , assumptions and open disrespect “because i am un married they consider me to be available for anything” she says 

Despite her dedication and hard work, her pleas for recognition and fair pay have gone unanswered, she says each time she raises the issue, the same excuse is given, “We don’t have the budget“

For Rehan, protecting women journalists is not only about safety at work but also about challenging deep-rooted cultural biases that leave unmarried women dangerously exposed.

“We should strengthen ourselves physically, mentally, and professionally—through education and knowledge. Violence and intimidation may surround us, but with strength and unity, we can endure and push for change.” Rihana affirms 

For now, Rehaba continues her work as a reporter and anchor in Afar, her voice steady but her environment tense with risk. Her story is a painful reminder that for many women journalists in Africa, the fight for truth is also a fight for survival.

She also  calls for coordinated efforts to strengthen women’s rights in Ethiopia, including widespread public sensitization, workplace reforms, and strict enforcement of laws with accountability mechanisms.