NPC South Sudan trained regulators, media associations, and academia on gender mainstreaming

Group Photo of the Participants at Regency hotel Juba

JUBA 24th Nov 2021.  The National Press Club South Sudan (NPC-SS) with support from UNESCO has conducted a two-day capacity building workshop for regulators, media associations, and academia on gender mainstreaming and promotion of gender equality through the media.

The aim of the training was to inform the participants on the improved capacities of regulatory and legislative bodies in support of SDG5 by promoting policies interventions and ethical codes in order to improve gender equality in the media sector.

The journalists were also trained on editorial guidelines for equal representation of both men and women while reporting and balancing stories by using women who are experts among other important issues.

Journalists and media practitioners, civil society groups were empowered with skills to promote gender equality and equal representation of women in and through the media.

The Chairperson of the board of Directors for the National Press club South Sudan, Mr. Bullen Kenyi Yatta, says in South Sudan, many of our institutions are mainly influenced by some cultural norms.

Kenyi further said the media should use gender mainstreaming to promote gender equality in our offices and community.

“Gender mainstreaming is one of the methods or strategies to achieve that and fortunately or unfortunately the dissemination of information about gender inequality greatly lies on the media and therefore we expect that gender mainstreaming should start from our media organizations and our media houses because you cannot advocate for something that is not practiced yourself “, he said.

Mr. Kenyi has urged journalists to take the knowledge from the workshop and be ambassadors in their various media organizations and media houses.

Mr. Patrick Oyet, the President of the Union of Journalists of South Sudan, has recognized the importance of capacity building in order for the participants to be able to include more women in their reports including those women who are in the grassroots in their native language.

“Capacity building is something that we as the union of journalists think is very important. We believe that all of us have the ability to do great things and that ability can only be enhanced by capacity building for that reason, therefore, this capacity building organized by the national Press club promoted by UNESCO, I think is stepping in the right direction and all of us will also try to build our capacity so that we do our job better “, said Mr. Oyet.

Oyet also recognized the accomplishments of women holding senior positions in the media sector and how this is leading to inclusivity and changing the perception of women not being able to take leadership roles.

Dr. Tap Raj Pant, representative of the UNESCO education sector in South Sudan, says that women in Media are playing a critical role in promoting and SDG4, vision for Education 2030 which was set in 2015.

The SDG analyses the regional context, challenges, and opportunities, and provides policy recommendations through the lens of the overarching themes of equity and inclusion, while also considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Many women are in the forefront in South Sudan and they are really contributing to the development of South Sudan which is very good, we need to definitely have a balance, both men and women should work hand in hand so that they can contribute not only to the family but to the community so this is the main intention towards it, If you look at sdg4  article four so there the role of women so women they are two designated value SDG5 is very and within the SDG4 there are several targets for education and one designated body for women girls education and girls participation, girls participation and access to education”, said Raj.

This program aims to improve the capacities of regulators and legislative bodies to support a development goal agenda 2030 by promoting policy interventions in the improved media and I believe that at the end of this training, all our journalists in our various media associations in the country and the members of the civil society will able to take it up and we shall be having equal presentations of women and in various positions.