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NPC-SS establishes yet another Girls Leadership Club

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Driven by a passionate commitment to nurturing transformative female leaders in South Sudan, the National Press Club – South Sudan (NPC-SS) has expanded its Girls’ Leadership Club initiative by establishing a new club at Juba Girls Secondary School, a government-owned institution. This marks a significant milestone being the first club formed in a public school, under the ongoing project “Women’s Leadership and Political Participation During South Sudan’s Transitional Period,” supported by the Peacebuilding Fund through UN Women South Sudan.

The launch event was met with great enthusiasm by the school administration, students, and partners. The presence of UN Women South Sudan added notable significance to the occasion. Representing the UN Women, Mrs. Betty Adong read the speech of the UN Women Country Representative and expressed heartfelt support for girls’ leadership. She emphasized that the club is “not just a school activity, but a movement that begins in the classroom and stretches to government institutions, the media, civil society, and beyond.” Betty added that the club provides a safe space where girls can be nurtured to become confident, courageous, and capable leaders who will challenge stereotypes, break societal barriers, and redefine what it means to be a woman in leadership. “UN Women is proud to support this initiative as part of our broader commitment to advancing women’s leadership and political participation in South Sudan,” she concluded.

Mr. Bullen Kenyi, Chairperson of NPC-SS, also addressed the gathering, emphasizing that leadership begins in the classroom. “Leadership begins in the classroom, and it is a skill that must be built in practice. That’s why NPC-SS is investing in secondary school girls. We are empowering you to grow up as confident and courageous leaders, able to challenge bullying, stereotypes, and exclusion,” he said.

The school’s patron, Mrs. Thereza Juan, expressed her appreciation to NPC-SS for bringing such a valuable initiative to Juba Girls Secondary School. She affirmed its importance in shaping the mindset and future of young women.

The club’s newly elected chairperson, Ms. Alisha Ijok, spoke with enthusiasm about her commitment to leading the club. “It’s the first time I’ve encountered such a unique initiative. I stood up to lead because I’m passionate about it. I am ready to serve and to face any challenges that may come,” she declared.

The Girls’ Leadership Club is a pioneering approach to building a generation of transformative young female leaders. As NPC-SS continues to empower young girls in schools, the movement toward inclusive, gender-sensitive leadership in South Sudan continues to gain momentum, starting from the classroom and reaching into every sphere of society.

Promoting Women’s Legitimacy: Countering Anti-Women Narratives in Malakal

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In a strategic effort to create a more inclusive environment for women’s leadership and political participation, the National Press Club-South Sudan, with support from the Peacebuilding Fund through UN Women, launched an awareness campaign to challenge anti-women narratives. Held on August 29, 2024, the event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from the state government, parliament, women’s caucus, civil society, youth, chiefs, persons with disabilities, and residents of Malakal.

The discussions highlighted the crucial need to empower women and acknowledge their contributions, with several references made to their active role during the liberation movement. Hon. James, representing the deputy governor, recounted the significant involvement of women during that time, notably in the formation of Katiba Bannat, where women provided shelter and care for the injured. He stressed the importance of education, open dialogue, and support for women’s rights, urging men to uphold the 35% representation for women as outlined in the peace agreement. Hon. James also underscored the necessity of women’s participation in politics and governance, calling for a more inclusive approach to state leadership.

Ms. Nyaruon Gabriel, field officer for the National Press Club, highlighted the lack of investment in girls’ education within local communities. She emphasized that educating girls is fundamental to cultivating future women leaders.

Deng Michael Yor, paramount chief of Malakal County, echoed the call for greater support for women’s aspirations, urging the government, UN agencies, and international organizations to play a role in empowering women. He further challenged women to pursue education, stressing that knowledge is a powerful tool that could raise women’s representation beyond the current 35%, potentially reaching 50%.

The spokesperson for the women’s caucus in the state parliament emphasized the need to nurture young girls’ talents and leadership potential. She advocated for the development of training programs and workshops to enhance women’s leadership skills and increase awareness of the vital role women play in politics.

Throughout the event, different speakers delivered powerful messages, urging men to see women as equal partners in all spheres of life—whether at home, in the community, or on the national stage. They highlighted the indispensable contributions women make to society and encouraged women to take responsibility for pursuing their rights, while calling on men to abandon harmful stereotypes and traditional perceptions. Women were also encouraged to prioritize education and personal development.

This campaign reached about 70 stakeholders in Malakal, marking an important step toward ensuring greater participation and leadership for women in Malakal and in South Sudan’s political and social progress.

Participants sited, and attending to a presentation during the campaign. Photo SSBC Malakal/Mayen

Participants sited, and attending to a presentation during the campaign. Photo SSBC Malakal/Mayen

Participants sited, and attending to a presentation during the campaign. Photo SSBC Malakal/Mayen

National Press Club-South Sudan participates in a seminar on Enhancing Access to Information and Elections Reporting

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Juba, March 20, 2024 – The National Press Club-South Sudan (NPC-SS) joined other partners in a two-day seminar on access to information and elections reporting on the 19, and 20 March 2024

Structured by JICA; UNESCO, and the Information Commission, the event aimed to consolidate efforts for creating a conducive environment for free, fair, and democratic elections. Centered on enhancing the relationship between the National Elections Commission (NEC) and Journalists for a credible and timely flow of information, it also sought to reinforce the capacity of the NEC by drawing extensive experiences from the Institute of Japanese Elections System and Administration.
Under the themes: “Enhancing access to Information and Elections reporting” for the first and second days, the seminar expounded more broadly on the purpose; of clarifying the challenges that are hampering the access to essential information needed for a democratic state, to develop a common understanding concerning how to improve the situations and what to be done by each stakeholder, to share experiences of elections reporting and cooperation between NEC and Mass Media in Japan, and to identify, analyze and discuss challenges and possible solutions for the cooperation between NEC and Mass Media in South Sudan.

Present during the seminar were the Ministry of Information, the Media Authority, Information Commission, the National Elections Commission, State High Elections Committees, Journalists, Media organizations, UNESCO and JICA.