“We want to see a difference in your reporting on gender issues”, says UNESCO

Bullen Kenyi, the chairperson of the board of directors of National Press Club South Sudan

JUBA, 20^TH August, The National Press Club South Sudan in partnership with UNESCO has concluded a two-day workshop that trained more than 32 male and female journalists from different media houses on Gender Responsive reporting and safety for female journalists.

The training session was interactive and led to addressing issues and challenges that female journalists go through in the workplace. Journalists were also taught about human rights, Gender based Violence, gender and what step to take when facing harassment among other issues.

Bullen Kenyi, the chairperson of the board of directors of national press club South Sudan, says that the workshop has fulfilled the goal of bringing journalists from different platforms for training.

“The goal of the club is to bring together journalists to share their own experiences together. I believe this is the start, we will continue to have more and more workshops similar to these ones.  I will reiterate also my gratitude to UNESCO that has made it possible for this workshop to take place”, said Bullen Kenyi, chair of NPC SS board.

UNESCO representative, Doreen Gunne Wudu Loboka says that the workshop created a platform for journalists to share and receive information. She is encouraging journalists to learn from each other and to implement what they were taught from the workshop.

“We want to see a difference in your reporting when it comes to gender related issues. We want to see that the way you checked your images is it documentaries or face book whatever platform you are working with.  I want to say that it is better you take one thing from this workshop you don’t need to waste or burn resources we just come and sit and not make an impact”, said Doreen at the closing of the workshop.

She is encouraging journalists to be the voice of the community through the use of media as an instrument to create change in communities and the nation at large.
She has also expressed gratitude to the NPC for organizing the workshop and the efforts of the facilitators who shared knowledge during the workshop.

One of the participants, Susan Gitau who is an editor at classic FM, said that lengthier workshops should be added in the future that talks about the rights of male and female journalists in South Sudan.

“I believe that as much as the female journalists are suffering to the higher extent also the male journalists equally, they are getting a share of that so I would appeal that you have some time that will give us some lengthy training and also I want to appeal to all of us can we at least try to put in practice one or two things that we have grasped from this workshop”, said Susan Gitau of Classic FM.

Gitau urged journalists to look at stories with different perspectives which inspire hope and change.

NPC South Sudan will also extend more training for journalists at the state levels next month.