16/09/2026
The remarks of NEF Chairperson Chuol Jany during Election reporting workshop organized by UJOSS in Juba.
It is a pleasure to join you for this important training at a critical time for South Sudan’s media and electoral process. As the country prepares for elections, the media has a fundamental responsibility to keep citizens informed and support an informed and peaceful electoral process.
As editors and reporters, our responsibility goes beyond publishing or broadcasting stories. Editors are gatekeepers of information, and our decisions on what to publish, how to frame stories, whose voices to include, and what information to verify directly affect the quality of public information.
During the electoral period, our newsrooms must uphold accuracy, fairness, impartiality, balance, independence, and ethical journalism. Reporters need strong editorial guidance and support to verify information, use diverse sources, and report on political issues without becoming part of political campaigns.
Reporters are the eyes and ears of the public. They will interact with candidates, voters, communities, women, young people, and other stakeholders. Therefore, their safety, professionalism, and understanding of journalism standards are essential.
Access to information is equally important. Journalists cannot effectively inform the public or hold institutions accountable without timely and credible information. We should continue advocating for greater access to public information while respecting legitimate legal and ethical limitations.
We must also strengthen gender-responsive reporting. Women should be represented not only as victims or beneficiaries but also as voters, candidates, leaders, experts, peacebuilders, and decision-makers. Newsrooms should make deliberate efforts to ensure diverse and fair representation.
I encourage editors to create newsroom environments where journalists can ask difficult questions, verify facts, challenge misinformation, and report independently. However, editorial independence must always be accompanied by professionalism and responsibility.
As the National Editors’ Forum, we remain committed to strengthening professional journalism and supporting editors and reporters throughout the electoral process.
I thank the organizers, trainers, and partners for making this training possible. I encourage all participants to actively engage, share experiences, and take the lessons learned back to their respective newsrooms.
Let us remember: credible elections require informed citizens, and informed citizens require credible journalism.
