A UN agency in South Sudan has welcomed the creation of the Media Authority in South Sudan and is calling for international donors to give money to support the new government body.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said in a press release circulated today that it “welcomed the establishment of an autonomous Media Regulatory Authority in South Sudan, to oversee the media industry in terms of regulation, media development and issuance of broadcasting licenses.”
“Pledging its continued support to the development of the South Sudan media sector, UNESCO… stressed the need for media donors and development partners to join efforts in supporting the full operationalization of the Media Authority and the establishment of the 8 specialized committees as outlined in the Media Authority Act,” adds the statement.
The Media Authority was created under a bill signed into law in 2014. Its members were appointed by President Salva Kiir last May, including representatives of the National Security Service, Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Cabinet Affairs. The bill criminalizes defamation and gives the government control over the issuance of broadcast licenses.
Last year the operationalization of the Media Authority and its specialized committees was delayed in part due to lack of government funds.
According to UNESCO, the appointed Media Authority Board members visited their office in Juba last Wednesday, where they described challenges facing them including lack of office space, vehicles, ICT equipment and staff. UNESCO says that the acting chairperson of the Authority Atong Majok Kur said that the Media Authority is “ready to engage with all the media stakeholders in execution of its duties.”
In the same press release, UNESCO says that the creation of the new Media Authority is “espected to help in improving the country’s ratings” in the World Press Freedom Index. This contradicts a report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presented in Geneva last year, which questioned the indepedence of the Media Authority and said it would provide only “nominal” protection to journalists.
“With the powers to appoint and remove members of the bodies established by these laws given to the executive, the protection for journalist and media practitioners envisaged by the laws appears to be nominal,” reads the UN human rights report.
Related:
Audio: Kiir threatens to kill journalists (17 Aug. 2015)
Lawyer hopes for release of detained UN journalist after peace implementation (26 Nov. 2015)
Contradiction within Media Authority Act on defamation (19 Nov. 2014)