By Dedi Esbon Samuel – 30, oct, 2025

As South Sudan approaches its much-anticipated 2026 general elections, the role of the media becomes more crucial than ever. However, a pressing concern remains—the underrepresentation and frequent misrepresentation of women in political reporting. This concern has prompted media institutions across the country to take deliberate steps toward gender-inclusive election coverage, ensuring stories accurately reflect women’s perspectives and that female journalists are given equal opportunities to report on the electoral process

Hellen Ikuse Samuel, a Senior Broadcast Journalist at Eye Radio and member of the South Sudan Female Journalists Network (FJN), reflects on her experiences from past elections. She noted that during previous cycles, female journalists were often sidelined from covering political stories due to entrenched stereotypes.

Hellen Ikuse Samuel, a Senior Broadcast Journalist at Eye Radio

“Previously, female journalists had minimal or very little opportunities to cover political events for unjustifiable reasons, such as gender stereotypes, conceptualized into the thinking that politics is for men,”  she said.

According to her, this outdated narrative is gradually shifting thanks to continuous training programs for both male and female journalists. She emphasized that women bring valuable and unique perspectives to political reporting, shaped by their lived realities and societal roles.

“Women were seen as weak in understanding and cannot articulate tough questions or conduct strong interviews. This is changing because, in recent years, many young women have changed journalism, got trained both inside and outside the country, and acquired the necessary skills and confidence to venture into areas previously restricted to them,” Ikuse stressed.

Jennifer James, another female journalist with The Dawn daily newspaper,  recounts her own challenges in being excluded from political assignments.

“In regard to my experience on segregation when it comes to assignments—yes. It’s there still up to now. Our bosses prefer male colleagues to cover certain events like political or high-profile events,” she decried.

The 2018 peace agreement grants women 35% affirmative action to ensure equitable political participation, especially during elections. This commitment is further reinforced by the National Elections Act 2023 as amended.

Managing Director of Equator Broadcasting Corporation (EBC), Oliver Modi, believes that media should provide equal airtime and fair treatment to both male and female candidates.

Oliver Modi, Managing Director of the Equator Broadcasting Corporation (EBC)

He stressed the importance of  equipping journalists with proper election reporting skills to  promote gender-balanced coverage.“Gender-wise, we need to make sure that we are also inclusive. Our reporting may not be focusing only on men. You only target men and leave women out. There are women who are candidates. There are women who are heads of a party and women who are actually politicians, like the parliamentarians—and the name—these are decision-makers.”

Modi warned that excluding women from political reporting not only silences their aspirations but also distorts the narrative of national progress.
“Whether you are a politician, whether you are a mechanic, whether you are a carpenter, whether you are a journalist, we have a shared mission.

Oyet Patrick, President of the Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS), said the union is working with media houses and security forces to facilitate specialized training programs.

“There are some efforts by the union. For example, now we are organizing a workshop that we are supposed to have with SSPDF. And this workshop is supposed to bring a big number of SSPDF together with journalists to try to understand some of the challenges that we face, including the challenges of female journalists,” Oyet stated.

A photo of Oyet Patrick, President of the Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS)

Jackline Nasiwa, the Founder and Executive Director of the Centre for Inclusive Governance, Peace and Justice (CIGPJ), believes that media often overlooks critical issues such as gender-based violence (GBV) when reporting on election violations.

“Issues of culture and discrimination affect women’s equal participation in elections. And these are things that are normally ignored, especially when it comes to nominations or appointments or candidates,” she noted.

Nasiwa stated that there are cultural biases that hinder women’s political participation—biases the media often fails to report. Some communities, she noted, openly reject women in leadership roles simply because they believe men are more suitable.

She urged the media to uphold independence, fairness, and non-discrimination. Nasiwa particularly called on media outlets to dedicate airtime for programs featuring women candidates and to ensure their voices are not only heard but they are also respected.

“We have media, which are very discriminatory when it comes to elections. This is the special program for women. So I think for you journalists, you are having the program for women to talk about women in politics, women in elections and all this. And I think these will encourage women to be able to come,” Nasiwa affirmed.

Nancy Angulo, Communication and Information Sector, for UNESCO in Tanzania, said during the World Press Freedom Day 2025 in Arusha, Tanzania, “True press freedom cannot exist without gender equality. As we shape the future of media in a rapidly changing digital world, we must ensure that women’s voices are not only heard but also lead the conversation. This dialogue is about more than representation – it’s about transforming power structures to build a media landscape that is inclusive, ethical, and resilient.”