Poster of anti-online hate speech. (Courtesy).

The Media Authority, in partnership with Journalists for Human Rights, will convene a national conference in Juba on Tuesday to directly address hate speech and advance social cohesion, bringing together senior government officials, media regulators, civil society leaders, and development partners from across South Sudan.

In a press invite date The three-day conference, organized in collaboration with Journalists for Human Rights, will run from December 16th to 18th at the Juba Grand Hotel under the theme “Beyond the Painful Divides.”

It aims to foster a coordinated national response to hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation.

“The conference will bring together a total of 39 delegates from the Ten (10) states of South Sudan and the Three(3) Administrative  Areas and will be joined at the national level by 111 representatives of government institutions, media houses, civil society, faith groups, youth and women-led organizations,” the organizers have said:

Each state and administrative area is expected to nominate three participants — the State Minister of Information, a civil society representative, and a media manager — to take part in the discussions and share experiences from their respective regions.

Participants from the states and administrative areas will begin arriving in Juba on Monday, December 15th, with all travel, accommodation, meals, and conference logistics fully covered by the organizers.

The Media Authority says the conference will provide a platform for dialogue on practical strategies to counter hate speech and promote peaceful coexistence, especially through responsible media practices and inclusive public communication.

As part of the program, each state and administrative area will make a five-minute presentation on the status of hate speech and the mechanisms in place to address misinformation and disinformation within their jurisdictions.

The conference will run daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and organizers say its outcomes are expected to contribute to stronger national unity and social cohesion in South Sudan.