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“‍‍‍Journalists and Media are vital components of Democracy,” NPC-SS Program Coordinator.

Juba, April 29, 2024 – The National Press Club-South Sudan program coordinator, Mr. Poverty Alfred was hosted by Radio Bakhita in a live Radio talk show on the Peace Forum Program.

The talk show which was slotted by Chuol Juany (host) under the topic “Importance of Press freedom in promoting Democracy in South Sudan’ took place on April 27 as a pre-event for the commemoration of World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) 2024.

During the talk show, Mr. Alfred urged the government to protect journalists and media houses as they carry their work, saying journalists are not enemies. “Journalists should never be treated like enemies as they too contribute to the country’s development through the stories and publications they have on the media.”

Alfred further elaborated that media and journalism are vital components of democracy and can play invaluable roles in the pursuit for a democratic process, especially when their rights and freedoms are granted.

He emphasized that freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and it is provided for in the country’s constitution, the regional and international treaties.

Alfred’s call for press freedom and protection of Journalists and media comes as a compliment to the activities of the NPC-SS.

The Nation Press Club-South Sudan has devoted significant efforts towards the realization of Press Freedom and the establishment of sustainable, robust and vibrant media presence in South Sudan. Through our partners (UNESCO, IREX, among others) and in collaboration with other Media organizations, we pledge to scale up our efforts towards the attainment of Press Freedom in South Sudan.

Poverty Alfred, NPC-SS program Coordinator,

Poverty Alfred (R), Chuol Juany (M) and Aisha Mundwa (L)

NPC-SS concludes Two-day Workshop for C.E.S Parliamentarians

Juba, March 29, 2024 -The National Press Club South Sudan (NPC-SS) successfully concluded a two-day capacity-building workshop for CES parliamentarians aimed to enhance the parliamentarians’ understanding of media laws, freedom of expression, access to information, safety, and role of journalists.

The workshop, held under the theme “Together we build a Pluralistic and Independent Media presence in South Sudan,” covered various topics including international and national legal frameworks for freedom of expression and media, limitations on freedom of expression, human rights, journalism ethics, safety of journalists (with a focus on female journalists), and digital safety.
During the closing session, Hon. Benjamin Satiro, representative of Male participants expressed gratitude to NPC-SS and UNESCO for organizing the training, emphasizing the relevance of the acquired knowledge. The female participants also appreciated the workshop, stating that it provided valuable insights they were previously unaware of.
The Chairperson of Information for CES TLA acknowledged the workshop’s benefits, requesting that similar trainings be extended to leaders at both the state and national levels.
Hon. Peter Wani, the speaker of CES TLA, expressed gratitude for the knowledge gained and urged NPC-SS and UNESCO to arrange further workshops and trainings outside the country to empower stakeholders and citizens of Central Equatoria State and South Sudan.
The workshop attended by about 30 parliamentarians, was highly productive and effective due to active participation from participants and the expertise of notable individuals such as Justice James Alala, Prof. Chaplain Kara, and others.

NPC-SS, with support from UNESCO and other stakeholders, will continue organizing workshops and events to establish a pluralistic and independent media presence in South Sudan.

Participants attending to presentation

Participants attending to presentation

NPC-SS opens Two-day workshop for C.E.S Parliamentarians

Juba, March 27, 2024 – The National Press Club-South Sudan (NPC-SS) has started a two-day Capacity-building workshop for Central Equatoria State Parliamentarians.

Supported by UNESCO, the event aimed at developing the capacity of state lawmakers on Freedom of Expression, Access to Information, Safety of Journalists, and understanding of the Role of Journalists.
During the opening, UNESCO’s country representative, Mr. Julius Banda said “Freedom of Expression is the drive of all the development goals.” He challenged the lawmakers to ensure their laws were consistent and based on international standards.
Julius lamented that the largest number of children are out of school, saying, “In South Sudan, we have an ironic education; more children are at home than in school,” adding that 2.2 million children attend school while 2.8 million are out of school.
On his part the speaker of the CES parliament lauded UNESCO and NPC-SS for making the trainings possible. He challenged the participants to pay keen attention to the training and use the knowledge to benefit the people of Central Equatoria State and South Sudan.
The speaker also called upon UNESCO and NPC-SS to continue funding and organizing the invaluable trainings.
Bullen Kenyi Wani, NPC-SS Chairperson emphasized the essence of training law makers and law enforcers on media freedom, adding that NPC-SS with support from UNESCO and other stakeholders is committed to making such relevant trainings possible, especially as the country prepare for it’s elections.

The two-day workshop which brought together 30 Hon. Members would end on March 28, 2024 after an indepth facilitation from experts such as Prof. Chaplain Kara Yakoju and Justice Justin Alala.

Workshop for CES parliamentarians, Participants’ group photo

Workshop for CES parliamentarians, Participants attending to presentations