Beginning in February of 2016, JHR implemented the project “Strengthening Media in South Sudan” funded by Global Affairs Canada. The project aimed to enhance public accountability in South Sudan on human rights and good governance issues through working with journalists, media outlets and organizations, civil society organizations and government representatives. Over the course of the project JHR trained over 297 journalists on human rights and gender sensitive reporting and mentored the production of 650 stories on human rights.
The scope of this project went beyond journalists in the media sector. JHR also worked with civil society organizations on how to disseminate key information on public health and human rights, training over 100 staff. JHR also trained 287 members of South Sudan’s security sector on press freedom and how to work with members of the media. JHR successfully developed a human rights curriculum in collaboration with the University of Juba’s Department of Development and Education. To date, 298 students (116 female) in journalism and communication studies have received lectures based on JHR’s curriculum.
Over the course of the project South Sudan has seen an increase in press freedom raising in the ranks of Reporters without Borders World Press Freedom Index from 145 in 2017 to 138 in 2020. The impact of JHR’s work is reflected in this change. The vast majority of stakeholders JHR worked with over the course of this project indicated that they would like to continue working with JHR and we too, will build on this momentum in possible future projects in the country.
