Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) on Wednesday urged community radio stations in South Sudan to play a greater role in countering hate speech and promoting peace, particularly in rural areas vulnerable to inter-communal violence.
Jacob Atem, head of NPA’s Media Rights Department, said community broadcasters are well placed to reach local audiences where inflammatory rhetoric can fuel conflict.
He called on radio operators to educate listeners on the dangers and drivers of hate speech while promoting peaceful coexistence and ensuring accurate, balanced reporting.
Speaking at a four-day on-site media mentorship and community radio listener training at Access Radio 88.8 FM in Yei, Atem also stressed the need for credible information to counter misinformation circulating on social media.
The training, organised by the Community Media Network in South Sudan (CoMNeTSS) with support from NPA, aimed to strengthen ethical journalism, including conflict-sensitive and gender-aware reporting.
Atem reaffirmed NPA’s support for peacebuilding efforts and praised CoMNeTSS for encouraging interactive, audience-centred programming.
Norwegian People’s Aid is an international non-governmental organisation active in South Sudan in areas including peacebuilding, civil society support, and community resilience.
Hate speech remains a serious risk in South Sudan, where unresolved ethnic tensions and weak institutions mean inflammatory messages can quickly spark violence, deepen divisions, and undermine fragile peace efforts after years of conflict.
Participants said the workshop improved their understanding of responsible reporting and gender-based violence.
“I gained a lot of knowledge, especially on conflict-sensitive reporting and gender-based violence, which I had not fully understood before,” said participant Viola Nancy John.
“We are using radio to bring communities together and educate them on how to address violence and other challenges.”
Another participant, Emmanuel Malish Richard, said the training strengthened his presentation skills and his ability to engage listeners while delivering reliable information.
In South Sudan, community radio stations provide vital local news and peacebuilding programmes but often struggle with limited funding, few trained journalists, and weak infrastructure.