In Jonglei State, South Sudan, journalists faced severe restrictions between May and December 2024, when the government suspended news broadcasting and limited local radio to entertainment content. These actions highlighted the fragile relationship between media and authorities, which is an essential pillar of democracy.
In response, Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) partnered with the South Sudan Media Authority to provide targeted trainings: 100 government officials from ministries and security agencies attended media relations workshops, and 22 journalists received fact-checking and professional reporting training. JHR then facilitated a roundtable dialogue bringing together government, media, and civil society to discuss the role of free and professional media in countering misinformation and hate speech.
These efforts yielded tangible results. Media restrictions were lifted in December 2025, and a public dialogue forum in May 2025 confirmed that journalists could now operate more freely and contribute to public discourse without undue interference. A notable example occurred in July 2025, when a potentially inflammatory song aired on Radio Jonglei 95.9 FM. Instead of punitive measures, authorities addressed the situation through dialogue — a direct outcome of the improved relationships fostered by the trainings.
Blog continues below video
The Jonglei State Minister acknowledged in a formal letter JHR’s role in strengthening collaboration between media and government, saying that participants didn’t only gain knowledge but also committed to improving the media landscape in Jonglei State by ensuring greater collaboration and awareness of the critical role of media across all the sectors. She called for more dialogues of a similar nature to be organized.
“Thanks to these trainings, the situation [with the radio station] was resolved amicably, and no force was used against the station,” the minister stated.
