As South Sudan gears up to celebrate a decade of Independence and begins drafting a permanent constitution, the United Nations Peacekeeping mission here UNMISS, is continuing efforts to help build a durable peace in the world’s youngest nation.

As part of this ongoing push for peace, the mission’s Communications and Public Information Section recently held a three-day training for 28 local journalists in Western Equatoria. The objective: To educate media partners on peace journalism; unbiased, accurate reporting techniques that help create an environment of social cohesion; and enable them to discharge their ethical obligation to deter further conflict.

The workshop covered a range of topics including codes of conduct and journalistic ethics; peace journalism; basic reporting skills; reporting on children in armed conflict; safe journalistic practices during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; and the need for gender-equal media coverage.

“Although I have attended numerous media trainings, many of them don’t look at the gender dimensions and biases that can be embedded in reportage,” says Chieku Suzan, a radio presenter from Anisa FM in Yambio. “Today, I’ve learned a lot about how I can promote peace through my reporting and also ensure that every word I say or write is gender-sensitive.”

“This training has equipped me to stay focused and feed my audience with the right information about peace and post-conflict issues,” Susan adds.

Another key aspect of the training activity was to enable participating journalists to provide local communities with accurate information on the Revitalized Peace Agreement.

 “Now is the time for our citizens to become fully conversant with the peace agreement and its ongoing implementation,” avers Eluzai Billy Samson, a presenter for Amadi FM which airs in Mundri West. “This training is timely because I have picked up a lot of tips in how to communicate effectively with my audiences regarding the Revitalized Peace Agreement.”  

Local authorities from the state also participated and commended the training in which some key recommendations were drawn. Eddy Ukelle, Acting Minister of Information and Communications Eddy Ukelle advised participants during the closing ceremony: “We encourage you not to follow politicians. Follow your profession and give the public with the right information to foster peace,” he said.   

“Media personnel should be fully conversant with their jurisdiction so that they can improve on their profession and become agents of truth,” he added. 

Minister Ukelle was echoed by the state governor, Alfred Futoyo who urged participating journalists to hone their investigative skills. “If someone brings you a lie, investigate it thoroughly first and make sure you disseminate the truth. The truth is always out there and it is your responsibility to shed light on it,” he stated.

For his part, Christopher Murenga, Head of Office, UNMISS Yambio, said that supporting media partners is a way to bolster harmony across the country. “Journalism is an extremely important part of any peace process because it is through the media that news of peace is disseminated very widely,” he averred.

“Therefore, journalists can either be positive or negative influences. What we wanted to do was to make sure that within Western Equatoria, journalism is positive. It’s this training that we want to start and continue doing on a regular basis in order to make sure that there is that positivity in journalism and in spreading the message of peace.”

The mission will be organizing similar trainings specially for women journalists.