Data Story: Covid-19 vaccine, the fear of the unknown

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Apparently, as  of February 2023, only 21.82 % of the South Sudanese population and 48.50 % of the target population are fully vaccinated, a figure way below the WHO recommended 60%.

Writer: Jibi Moses

Covid-19 (SARS-COV-2) was first reported in China’s Wuhan City in late 2019 and later led to reported cumulative cases of up to 988,737,697  Later on spread throughout the globe like wildfire and by 30th January 2020, World Health Organisation (WHO) had to declare it as a Public health emergency of international concern. Subsequently, on 11th March 2020, it was characterised as a pandemic outbreak. It has  caused a lot of fatalities in different parts of the world, especially in the United States of America, with a cumulative figure of 101,496,168 total reported cases. And Europe with 272,423,077, where France, Germany, England and Italy were among the most affected. Africa recorded 895189 cases and South Sudan with 18,360 as of 15th February 2023 after the first reported case on 5th of April 2020.

The principal mode by which people are infected with SARS-CoV-2 is through exposure to respiratory fluids carrying the infectious virus. Exposure occurs in three principal ways: inhalation of very fine respiratory droplets and aerosol particles; deposition of respiratory droplets and particles on exposed mucous membranes in the mouth, nose, or eye by direct splashes and sprays; and touching mucous membranes with hands that have been soiled either directly by virus-containing respiratory fluids or indirectly by touching surfaces with the fluids.

The virus keeps mutating, changing itself, and creating panic in the world. In other parts of the world, it looks down with reduced or no reported new cases on most days. In China, however, although most of its population is vaccinated, the cases continue to be reported daily.

The totally strange pandemic caused panic and fear as new cases were being reported, and the number of fatalities kept on growing every other day.  The panic and anxiety was fuelled by the absence of correct information on the ground. The existence of the Internet and mainly social media made it easy for the spread of false information. Misinformation, disinformation and rumors about the pandemic were spread  too. A Lot of predictions were made, especially about Africa. Luckily enough, some didn’t come to fulfillment.

With all these scientists and pharmaceutical companies across the globe did their best in research and tried to come up with varieties of vaccines to curb the epidemic. And  among these are AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BionTech and Johnson and Johnson. Much as these vaccines were easily accepted in some parts of the world and had an impact, they were received with resistance especially in Africa and mainly in areas where cases of fatalities  were not much, and South Sudan is not an exception. 

The vaccine faced resistance from the public and the anti vaccinators  spreading misinformation and rumors such as; covid-19 vaccines were intended to wipe out the African race, and myths that vaccines make one infertile. Also, some said covid-19 generally made to clear out the old generation and since many people didn’t die in Africa. Some now didn’t see any reason to get vaccinated as the danger of the pandemic is no longer scary.

Fig. 1. Pie Chart showing the Covid-19 vaccine uptake in the 10 States

Since the  vaccine was first introduced in April 2021. The Ministry of Health Statistics shows South Sudan’s vaccinated population is  21.89% of  the total population of 13,676,376  in February 2023. According to the WHO standard, this figure is too low to achieve public health safety; at least  60-70 % of the population should be vaccinated. The figure put South Sudan at the bottom with the least percentage of vaccine uptake in the region, besides the availability of the vaccine in the country and in most Health facilities.  This, therefore, poses a question, why are South  Sudanese hesitant to take up the vaccine

Total populationTarget populationTotal persons fully vaccinated Percentage of all ages population fully vaccinatedPercentage  of target population(18 years and above) fully vaccinated.
13,676,3766,154,4162,984,73121.82%48.50%

Fig.2. Table showing the details of the Total,Target Population and People fully vaccinated in Percentages   

More details from the Ministry of Health further shows that 

Fig.3  A Bar Chart showing the number of people vaccinated in the Ten states (Females and Males)

Fig.4 A graph showing the percentage of people vaccinated in different categories.

Mr. Mawa Bosco, the Founder and Executive Director of Ristal Institute in Juba, thinks South Sudanese are hesitant to take up the vaccine because they don’t see the need. He further says that unlike neighboring countries, we didn’t record many cases admitted at Intensive Care Unit(ICU). If I say we survived covid-19 because of intervention, that would be wrong. 

We just survived by God’s Grace. He said this in an interview at his office in Gurei.

So some people didn’t take the corona virus seriously from that point. Mapour, a journalist in Juba, says that religion also played a big role in tuning people’s minds to whether or not to take the vaccine. He gave an example of Jonglei state, a state with many people believing in different religious denominations but  less vaccine uptake.

The vaccine uptake has faced resistance because of rumors, myths and beliefs. But coming to understand, several people in the population do not know what vaccines are and how they work!

StatePopulationTotal persons fully vaccinated %age of all ages. Population fully vaccinated Target Population %of Target population (18+) fully vaccinated 
Northern Bahr El Ghazal1,173,396358,87330.58%528,02467.97%
Western Equatoria892,584265,65529.76%401,67666.14%
Warrap1,585,428409,52125.83%713,44857.40%
Unity 1,032,756255,40624.73%464,73654.96%
Eastern Equatoria1,649,100368,64922.35%742,10449.68%
Lakes1,246,788272,40921.85%561,07248.55%
Upper Nile1,609,260319,41219.85%724,17644.11%
Western Bahr El Ghazal544,95695,70917.56%245,23239.03%
Jondlie 2,118,140369,42417.44%953,17038.76%
Central Equatoria 1,811,004269,67314.89%814,94433.09%
Total13,676,3762,984,73121.82%6,154,41648.50%
Fig. 6. A table showing the details of the statistics of the population vaccinated in the ten states. 

Source : Ministry Of Health, South Sudan Government

 What are vaccines and their importance ?

Meanwhile some people who reject the vaccine and discourage others may not know what vaccines are and how they work. 

Vaccine is an antigenic preparation (Antigen) when introduced into an organism, induces the production of antibodies capable of fighting off infection of that organism by a given microorganism. The World Health Organization explains in detail how vaccines work in this explainer. 

They further go ahead to explain the importance of vaccinating the population. Vaccination protects the community, even those who cannot take the vaccine. Some people have lying conditions that could not enable them to take the vaccine. However, if most people are vaccinated, they will be protected too.

Dr Alfred Driwale of Makerere University says that  when an individual is vaccinated, that is personal health, but to achieve Public health, the majority of the population should be vaccinated.  

Dr Alfred Driwale further explains that complacency, lack of confidence, and convenience are the main contributing factors to vaccine hesitancy. He says that when there is a low perceived risk of vaccine-preventable diseases,  vaccination is not seen as necessary. Sometimes when other life/ health issues are a greater priority, vaccination is put on hold, furthermore, when the population has low trust and confidence in the vaccines, delivery systems and the health systems. Finally barriers related to geographic accessibility, availability, affordability and acceptability of the services. All these factors lead to low turn up.

Is there any hope?

On the 28th. January 2023, the government of South Sudan launched the second phase of the campaign. Through the Ministry of Health and partners: World Bank, Unicef and World Health Organisation, they aim to vaccinate 2.4 million South Sudanese of 18 and above years.

“We started by targeting the vulnerable groups of people like the health workers,and established 735 facilities   and 251 mobile units, we also trained and deployed health personnels in 26 idps and 22 refugee centers. However, consumption remained low as only 221236 eligible people were fully vaccinated. This translates to 16.4 % as per December 2022. Our target is to vaccinate 2,421,771 eligible persons of 18 years and above. Said Rev. Janet Micheal: Director General, Primary Health Care, Ministry of Health. 

During the same function, the Head of World Bank Group South Sudan, Dr. Firas Raad, said the country received 2.4 million doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccines in November 2022. Therefore, he called the public to come out willing to take the vaccine.

H.E Hussein  AbdelBagi Akol, the Vice president for Service cluster, decried the low coverage of the vaccine uptake, and he attributed this to limited information, especially in the village areas, high poverty levels and competing priorities, weak health system and continuous myths. He also observed that there’s open rejection of the vaccine by religious leaders. 

However, he promised to tighten the procedures and make sure the vaccine is accessible to everyone, in addition to making conditions hard for those who are not vaccinated.  said there’s no need for a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)  test when traveling as long as one is fully vaccinated. However, it will be demanded if not vaccinated: ‘ we shall continue to charge you for these tests until we are all vaccinated. The Minister of Health, Yolanda Awel Deng, warned the public about counterfeit drugs. People should go to public facilities to get the vaccine. 

Much as the uptake was too low, continuous  intervention by the government and implementing partners have tried to  improve the situation. David Manyang, the  Voice of Reconciliation  Radio Station Manager in Bor, said there was a lot of Misinformation and beliefs, especially religious. He said covid19 in the state was associated with the devil, and the fact that the Ministry of Health’s hotline is 6666 made people easily misled. However, with continued  awareness on Radio and offline, the people realized it was not true.

Jibi Moses Korsuk wrote this article under the sponsorship of the Aga Khan University Graduate School of Media and Communication after successfully completing the fellowship for Excellence in Journalism.

Data Story: 10.23% rise in the number of students registered for the certificate of secondary education examinations this year

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35,459 candidates registered for the CSE exams in the academic year 2022/23, with 22,920 males and 12,539 females. Last year, 32,167 candidates registered, with 21,799 males and 10,368 females.

Writer: Emmanuel Bida Thomas

The Ministry of General Education and Instruction released the schedule for the 2022/23 Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) Examinations last week, which will take place from March 20 to March 31, 2023.

According to Awut Deng Acuil, Minister of General Education and Instruction, 35,459 candidates have registered for the 2022/23 academic year exams. There are 12,539 females and 22,920 males among them.

However, compared to the previous year, when 32,167 candidates enrolled, including 21,799 males and 10,368 females, this year’s total number of candidates registered represents a 10.23% percent decrease.

Male candidates increased by 1,121 from 21,799 in the 2021/22 exams, and female candidates also increased by 2,171 from 10,368 the previous year.

YearMalesFemalesTotal
2020/2122,72411,63834,362
2021/2221,79910,36832,167
2022/2322,92012,53935,459
Table showing number of CSE candidates for the last three years

Awut Deng Acuil, Minister of General Education and Instruction, explained that the small number of candidates this academic year is due to security issues in certain regions of South Sudan, the adverse effects of COVID-19, which caused extended school closures, and the destructive floods.

S/NoState/AreaNumber of CandidatesNumber of Schools
Abyei Administrative Area2585
Jonglei State1,39820
Lakes State1,90115
Unity State77720
Pibor Administrative Area421
Eastern Equatoria State2,51629
Ruweng Administrative Area1,52319
Western Equatoria State1,29429
Central Equatoria State13,942135
Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State2,02828
Western Bahr-el-Ghazal State3,07526
Warrap State1,82628
Upper Nile State1,87328
IDP Juba3,00415
Table showing number of Candidates and Schools by State and Administrative Areas
Document showing statistics of students for this year’s CSE

Conclusion:

This data analysis indicates that secondary education in South Sudan is on the rise, despite a slight overall decrease in the number of registered candidates. The increase in male and female candidates, while remaining lower than the male candidate count, is a positive sign that more females are pursuing secondary education and have access to the necessary resources. This could indicate a shift in attitudes towards female education in South Sudan and an overall increase in investment in education. However, further research is needed to better understand the situation in South Sudan, particularly in terms of educational opportunities and resources available to students.

Data Story: Over 260 abductees reunited with their families between 2021 and 2023 in Jonglei and GPAA

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Inter-communal clashes in South Sudan have been involving children and women abductions, an act the UN strongly condemns as ‘horrific’. Fortunately, efforts to locate and reunite the abductees with their families have been effective in the last three years between Jonglei State and Greater Pibor. 

Writer: Ghai Aketch 

Armed inter-communal violence in some parts of South Sudan has left families separated due to abductions.  The act has been targeting vulnerable children and women. This is perceived as a violation of human rights according to several condemnation issued by the UN. 

The advocacy groups and local governments have been playing their role in locating and recovering abductees, and fortunately many have reunited with their families. 

This data story envelopes the available records of the recovered abductees who are mainly children and women, from 2021 to 2023. 

In this period, a total of 266 abductees have been reunited with their loved ones in 2021 to 2023. Thanks to the cooperation between humanitarian agencies, local governments of Jonglei State and Greater Pibor Administrative Area, GPAA.

But  more than 2,000 children and women were abducted in a period of six months from around July 2022 to January 2023 according to authorities in Jonglei State and GPAA. 

However, out of this figure, GPAA claims that nearly 2,000 members are missing in its community, a claim Jonglei State refutes as an inflated figure. 

The chart above shows number of abductees recovered in each year

Also in 2023, from the chart above, 123 abductees of Pibor origin were recovered in Jonglei State by efforts of government and humanitarian agencies. This figure is the highest in the three-year period. 

It is also followed by 118 who were recovered in 2021. However, 2022 had the least number of recovered abductees, having only 25 reunited with their families. 

From 2021 to 2022, Jonglei State returned  to Pibor 95.86 percent of the total number in the period. That is equal to 255 recovered abductees. Additionally, in the same duration, Pibor returned to Jonglei 4.14 percent, an equivalent of eleven (11)  abductees. 

 Conclusion

The United Nations agencies and the local governments in Jonglei and Greater Pibor Administrative Area have collaboratively worked in advocating for the recovery of abductees. 

This cooperation saw recovery of these 266 vulnerable children and women which is lauded by human rights activists as a positive advancement towards upholding human dignity. 

The reports from the two communities point out that they have more missing members. This has been upping the call for further engagement with the chiefs to locate the allegedly abducted children and women. 

Data Story: 12.34% rise in the number of pupils registered for the certificate of primary education examinations this year.

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The previous year, 53,220 enrolled for the exams comprising 31,232 males and 21,988 females. This year, 60,714 candidates, 34,505 males and 26,209 females, registered.

Writer: Emmanuel Bida Thomas

This week, pupils across South Sudan will write their Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) examinations for the academic year 2022. 

The Ministry of General Education and Instruction says that a total of 60,714 candidates, 34,505 males and 26,209 females, have dully registered for the examination, which began on Monday, February 13, 2023.

However, as compared to the previous year, when 53,220 candidates, including 31,232 males and 21,988 females, registered, this year’s number shows a 12.34 per cent increase in the number of candidates.

Male candidates increased by 3,273 from 31,232 in the 2021/22 exams, and female candidates also grew by 4,221 from 21,988 the previous year.

The increase in male candidates accounts for 9.49% of the increase, while the increase in female candidates accounts for 16.11% of the increase.

YearMalesFemalesTotal
2017/1826,53315,46041,993
2018/1930,48018,00048,480
2019/2034,82521,96256,787
2020/2132,54920,69362,362
2021/2231,23221,98853,220
2022/2334,50526,20960,714

Table showing statistics of CPE candidates for the past six years

The presented data indicates that there has been a 12.34% increase in the number of candidates registered for the Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) examinations in South Sudan for the academic year 2022, in comparison to the previous year. Out of a total of 60,714 registered candidates, 34,505 are male, and 26,209 are female. Notably, the percentage increase in male candidates stands at 9.49%, while that of female candidates is 16.11%. The South Sudan National Examinations Council (SSNEC) has demonstrated exceptional efforts in registering a significant number of candidates this year, notwithstanding challenges such as insecurity and feeding difficulties in some regions of the country, as noted by the Minister for General Education and Instruction, Awut Deng Acuil.

Blog: Cybersecurity awareness and why it matters in South Sudan

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As South Sudan’s internet penetration grows, so do cyber threats such as cyberbullying, scamming, and hacking. Fortunately, a concern to curb this is taking shape through cybersecurity awareness—an effort from the government and nonprofit organisations.

Writer: Ghai Aketch

It’s your right to get access to the internet, given the contemporary environment of modernisation. But your rights can be your downfall if you aren’t extra cautious with your online interactions. It, therefore, comes with responsibility, discipline, and alertness to be secure on the internet. 

With internet adoption in South Sudan in recent years, many people have made money and lost it to online scammers. 

The country has three mobile network operators, with 3,885,484 users in 2022. Moreover, there are 12 internet service providers (ISPs) with a major market in Juba. Both ISPs and mobile internet users constituted 1.25 million in 2022, according to Data Reportal statistics.

South Sudan’s internet penetration rate stands at 10.9 per cent in 2022. But out of this figure, Facebook has nearly 500 thousand users. Bringing total social media users to 515 thousand in the country.

That has compelled the National Communications Authority and SafetyComm South Sudan to launch extensive cybersecurity awareness to curb growing cyber attacks on individuals’ social media pages, accounts and organisations. 

Lately, hackers have targeted internet users in the country, with most scams coming through e-business services, fake scholarships, grant applications and trickery links shared on social media. 

Cyber experts stress that South Sudanese netizens fall prey to scams that come to them through ‘fully funded’ scholarships and financial grants for business support but end up spending their own money on non-existing services.

Others lose thousands of dollars to non-existing car shipping companies that mimic real car-dealing websites overseas. 

Angel Atem, a South Sudanese netizen, lost her Facebook account to hackers earlier in October 2022. That implies she now has no control over her account, but the hackers have. They’ve been sending her friends’ links via inbox and asking for financial support in her name. 

“My Facebook account was hacked, and I don’t know what to do. I registered it with my sim card, but it has been changed, so I can’t log in again,” she said.

She is just one of the many other online users in the country who are only interested in employing curiosity while surfing the internet while clicking links that subsequently require their login details.

Another loophole cybersecurity experts caution netizens is having one password for a long time or having one password across their multiple internet accounts. 

“If someone tells you that they’re going to connect you to free MTN data, then you give them your password, that’s not facebook giving out your password; it’s you,” Ariik Robert, a cybersecurity expert working for SafetyComm South Sudan told the audience during a cybersecurity awareness campaign.

“So that’s why awareness is a key so that we tell you it’s a lie so that next time it comes your way, you will definitely know someone is trying to take over your account,” Robert explained. 

“Global cybersecurity awareness month, NCA will take multiple activities to raise awareness levels in our communities and build the capacity and empower the people to be resilient to mitigate cybersecurity attacks and to deal with them once they are attacked,” Unguec Stephan Kang, NCA Assistant Director Cybersecurity, said in October.

According to the NCA, the country must protect exposed internet users from scammers. One significant way to protect them is to increase digital literacy and creation awareness across the country.

But as a digital citizen, you have the responsibility to keep yourself and others secure, experts advise. 

Simple ways to protect yourself from hackers

  • Use dual-factor authentication on your cloud, email, social media and bank accounts. Two-factor authentication gives you control of the activity login of your accounts by sending your codes to your mobile phone or email.
  • Strong password, using a combination of characters such as; caps, lowe@, numbers, _ or # )
  • You should use a different password across all your internet accounts and keep it unchanged for a long time. If not, hackers can quickly gain access to your account by breaking the password.
  • Use anti-virus software on all your devices. That will offer more security against malware designed to attack you.
  • Not clicking suspicious links and entering your login credentials when it instructs you to do so. You’re about to be scammed should that link redirect for a login. Stop it! 
  • Changing passwords often, not using the same password across the accounts, creating extended passports, and not clicking links you don’t know. 

Robert reiterated that social media is very addictive; it has so much convenience with it, it’s entertaining-takes away so much boredom- these are threads hackers take advantage of, he warned. 

This blog post was published as part of the Fact-checking and Digital Rights Fellowship in the context of the Africa Digital Rights Fund with support from the Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA). 

Blog: South Sudan must fortify its cyberspace as cybercrime attacks cost billions of dollars in losses globally

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Cyber attacks are one of the most dangerous phenomena haunting people worldwide. The attacks, aided by information technology infrastructure and actors, cause severe damage to the lives of people everywhere.

Writer: Ochaya Jackson

Cyber crime is committed through illegal attacks by entities or individuals using collective methods of knowledge, device and the internet to get unauthorised access to computer systems, networks and other information technology devices. 

Cyber-attacks are of various categories and take different dimensions depending on the attacker’s interests in the target. It combines techniques, skills, devices and the target’s vulnerability to accomplish a successful attack.

If they succeed in the attacks, data is compromised, devices are infected, and the victims are psychologically tortured as they are left with pain.

The cyber-attack actors are the crime organisations, the state, and the individual. The mission of the attack may differ, but it primarily is to harvest data from the targets that could yield millions or billions of dollars and information gathering.

There are many types of cyber-attacks, including phishing, SQL injection threat, man – in – the middle, cross-site scripting, distributed denial of service, password, AI-powered, drive, eavesdropping, ransomware, and so on.

These attacks are the most commonly used globally to commit cybercrime operations over the internet to compromise victims.

The illustration of phishing attack © AAG IT Company

Even though the internet has many advantages, South Sudanese should be aware of its risks and dangers. This necessitates understanding cybercrime attacks and the methods used to carry them out.

Nobody can, however, eliminate cyber attacks, but understanding the dynamics of the attacks can help reduce attacks and save money and people’s lives.

According to the AAG IT Company 2022 cyber crime report, phishing attacks are widely executed.

“Phishing remains the most common form of cybercrime. Globally, 323,972 internet users fell victim to phishing attacks in 2021. This means half of the users who were a victim of cybercrime fell for a phishing attack. An average of $136 lost per phishing attack amounts to $44.2 million stolen by cyber criminals through phishing attacks in 2021”, part of the report reads.

The victims of cybercrime are targeted using emails, and in 2021, the report said about one billion emails were breached, and the data lost is sold to criminals to enhance further attacks.

“Phishing attacks largely target victims through emails; 2021 saw nearly 1 billion emails exposed, affecting 1 in 5 internet users. These breached databases are sold on black marketplaces on the dark web, meaning cyber criminals can purchase them and use the addresses in phishing attacks”.

The Phishing Trends both in 2021 and 2022

The LinkedIn platform is where phishing email attacks are delivered because of its many users. In the first quarter of 2021, phishing emails attached to LinkedIn were highly clicked at 42%, followed by Facebook at 20% and Twitter at 9%.

LinkedIn42%
Facebook20%
Twitter9%
Table showing phishing percentage attacks volume delivered through emails on social media

And in the first quarter of 2022, there are five top platforms which experienced phishing, with LinkedIn taking the lead at 52%, DHL at 14%, Google at 7%, Microsoft at 6%, and FedEx at 6%.

LinkedIn52%
DHL14%
Google7%
Microsoft6%
FedEx6%
Table showing phishing attack volume delivered through different platforms

The rationales for the increase in the cost of cybercrime are that cybercriminals have developed new attack technologies, many countries have weak cybersecurity, cybercrime has turned into a service or business, and the criminals monetise their targets, according to Internet Society Organization.

In an article published by Security Magazine, which highlighted the state of phishing report for 2022 by SlashNext, it found 255 million attacks had taken place in the form of URL based-links, email messages, and mobile and browser channels, amounting to 61% higher than in 2021.

The report indicated that phishing attacks have shifted to mobile devices and communication channels, primarily targeting employees with scams and personal information theft.

Global Cybercrime statistics 2022

The worldwide trends of cybercrime have wrecked damages lost to institutions, individuals, and information technology devices.

In Europe, the United Kingdom has many cybercrime victims, numbering 4783 as of November 2022, above 40% compared with 2020.

In the first quarter of 2022, Russia had 42.92 million data breaches. However, it dropped to 28.78 million violations in the second quarter of 2022. 

The United States of America accounts for 46% of cybercrime attacks worldwide. In Asia, Pakistan experienced an 83% increase in financial fraud committed through social media between 2018 and 2021.

 In  2018, about 17,560 India-based websites were hacked, including 26,121 one in 2020 were hacked.  In the African continent, Nigeria in 2022 has seen 1616% higher data breaches in the first quarter, 35 472 in the second quarter, and 608,765 in the third quarter.

In Australia, $72 million was lost in 2022 through scams. In September this year, Optus telecommunications company experienced a data breach that victimised about 2.1 million customers, and 9.8 million records were stolen.

In conclusion, with the advance in technology, cyber crimes have become more sophisticated, lucrative, and well-organized. The attackers evade the security layers or protocols of individuals, groups, organisations, institutions, and devices.

The victims of the attacks could be institutions, individuals, and information technology devices or infrastructures.

This blog post was published as part of the Fact-checking and Digital Rights Fellowship in the context of the Africa Digital Rights Fund with support from the Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA). 

Blog: Why does the digital divide between men and women appear to grow?

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Women and girls are underrepresented online due to digital illiteracy and irregular access to digital devices, platforms, and services.

Writer: Beatrice Amude Paulino

UN Human Rights says that women and girls are nearly 15% less likely to be online than men worldwide. However, experts say that this digital gender gap can be closed by educating women and girls, ensuring they have internet access, and helping them learn new skills.

The case is no different in South Sudan; a female social media user who recently lost her Facebook account to hackers, Nadab Bushari Ali, blames the divide on digital illiteracy and a lack of proper formal education for most women.

“Since April 2022, my account has been hacked, and I lost a lot of things because I tried to log in, and it is not going through. Women are not digitally literate because most of them are not educated,” Nadab Bushari Ali narrated in an interview with 211 Check.

Digital technologies generate, store, or process data. Digital technologies keep growing. Internet and mobile technologies; digital networks, content, services, and applications; old and new media, communication, and information-connected devices and environments; virtual and augmented reality; AI, including machine learning; robotics; automated systems and data analytics; biometrics and biotechnology.

Online experiences and opportunities are essential for kids’ development. Online education, formal and informal learning, health and well-being information and support, creative and cultural practice, civic engagement and expression of ideas and opinions, leisure and peer connections, employment, career information, and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Digital literacy is linked to higher earning potential and new economic opportunities.

Disabled and gender-related access gaps persist in geography, economics, and society. Closing the digital divide for all children requires individualised strategies.

Is there a gap in women’s and girls’ digital adoption compared to men’s and boys?

According to the report of UNICEF 2020, most data available to quantify this gap focuses on adults only, not children. The international Telecommunications Union (ITU) reports that more than 50% of women are offline.

According to the Digital 2022 South Sudan report, at the start of 2022, 27.3% of Facebook’s audience in South Sudan was female, while 72.7% was male and in the same year, 24.9% of females were using Instagram while 75.1% were male.

In early 2022, 24.2% of Facebook messenger users were female, and 75.8% were male. In early 2022, 25.2% of LinkedIn’s audience in South Sudan was female, while 74.8% was male.

Platform% male% female
Facebook72.7% 27.3%
Messenger75.8%25.2% 
Instagram75.1%24.9%
LinkedIn74.8%25.2%
Table showing % of male and female South Sudanese on four major social sites

How vulnerable women are to social media and cybersecurity-related issues?

Safety Comm Coordinator Ariik Robert Ajack says women and girls are susceptible to revenge porn, cyberbullying, and harassment. “There is no specific data, but we have handled many revenge porn cases,” he said.

Helen Ladu, a social media user whose Facebook profile was compromised, stated that the incident caused her to lose a lot of friends and family contacts.

“My account was hacked. I felt so sad and confused because I lost a lot of friends and family contacts,” she told 211 Check.

Noel Taban, a Journalism, Media, and Communication student at the University of Juba, sees things differently. He believes that because of South Sudanese culture and norms, some women are not considered to participate in particular social media platforms.

“Women are used to advertising a pornographic business, to attract customers, especially males. The abuse has led women to become less active or even inactive on social media,” he says.

What is the impact of the gender digital divide?

Girls and women cannot participate equally in our increasingly digital societies unless they have equal access to technology and the internet. Girls and women are held back in this area in every aspect of their lives, including their ability to speak out and campaign on issues that matter to them.

Furthermore, if girls and women are not involved in creating digital tools and online content, existing inequalities may be exacerbated.

How can we bridge the digital divide?

To bridge the gender digital divide, African governments must implement legislative, policy, administrative, and practical measures to address existing structural inequalities in income, education, and employment opportunities and to remove political, economic, legal, cultural, technological, and social barriers that prevent women and girls from using the internet and ICT. These measures should ensure more women and girls have affordable internet and digital devices, meaningful connectivity, and good digital literacy and skills. To close the digital gender gap, countries must collect and share gender- and age-disaggregated data on ICT access and use it to track and evaluate progress and shape policies to promote women’s and girls’ digital rights on the continent.

Empowering women and girls with internet and digital technologies could help them start businesses and access education, health, social, and financial services. It could also empower women and girls to participate in governance, associate, assemble, and express themselves on digital rights issues, and develop relevant content. Increase women’s leadership and decision-making roles in ICT.

Bridging the digital divide for women and girls is both complex and daunting. Still, hopefully, if the public and private institutions and organisations stand to address it, the gap will be reduced.

This blog post was published as part of the Fact-checking and Digital Rights Fellowship in the context of the Africa Digital Rights Fund with support from the Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA).

Data Story: Young men circumcised in Bor since July 2021

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More than 2,000 locals mostly young men have been circumcised voluntarily since the exercise started in July 2021

By Deng Ghai Deng

Health officials in Bor town say the free medical male circumcision is gaining momentum as young people are now embracing the cut and testifying to its benefits to their oblivious colleagues.

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Table Showing  Number of Young People Circumcised in Bor in 9 Rounds Since July 2021 

Amid the negative cultural perceptions attached to the cut, which persisted over years, the Jonglei State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with partners, launched the first-ever free circumcision in July 2021 to sensitise locals to take up circumcision.

The move was triggered by reports that most of the people living with HIV/AIDs in Jonglei State were uncircumcised.

The rollout triggered mixed reactions from various quarters, as some people condemned it, while others viewed it as a welcome remedy.

The Executive Director for the Community Support Initiative (CSI), Achiek David Arou, who plays a part in the implementation of the initiative, revealed that the exercise had to overcome lots of resistance when it began last year.

“Although the culture denies it; we are being dictated to by the health risk of not being circumcised,” he said.

“Our circumcision is not a cultural-based exercise, but it is a health-driven need that targets only the sexual reproductive age. So, people get information one by one throughout our demand creation activities,” Mr Arou explained.

After raising awareness, the health partner said their facility now receives more people who are demanding voluntary male circumcision and HIV/AIDS services as well.

“We are also embarking on other activities, for example, contact tracing and case finding indexes for HIV/AIDs,” he said.

More than 2,000 locals mostly young men have been circumcised since the exercise started in July 2021.

These include the community living around the barracks, SSPDF cadres, and the two direct beneficiaries of the initiative.

However, before the clients are circumcised, voluntary HIV testing is also undertaken for the recipients to know their status.

About 10 people, estimated at one per cent of the clients, tested positive for HIV throughout the exercise.

Motivational factors

Arou Elijah Kur, one of the beneficiaries who applauded the rollout, revealed he took it up after being convinced by its health benefits.

“Firstly, I got motivated because I had already been aware of its importance, especially when I was at school. So, I opted for general cleanliness and the fact that it prevents the transmission of STIs, “he narrated.

Mr Kur confessed that circumcision had helped him to realise that he could nowadays last longer in bed as opposed to the previous times when he used to ejaculate within a few moments.

“I remember those days; I could just ‘release’ within a few minutes. But I now last longer than that, and that is one of the achievements of this service, “he added.

According to Kur, the 60 per cent chance of evading contracting venereal diseases when circumcised was another motivating factor to embrace the cut.

Beating the odds  

When asked whether he was not worried about repercussions, he said it was high time to forgo bad cultural practices. 

Most uncircumcised people have been unable to go for the procedure due to peer pressure and old cultural beliefs.

Kur encouraged the uncircumcised male to reject circumcision stereotypes and embrace the cut.

“I went out of my girlfriend’s notice, but after I underwent it, she is now benefiting from it,” he happily recounts.

“We are in a modern society whereby things are hidden, but let’s be at least friendly to ourselves and our health. We shouldn’t be hearing what people are saying about it,” he added.

Upsetting the odds

In recent months, a song in Dinka dubbed “Aguala Ku Le Bor Ka Thou” which literally translates to “If a circumcised one happens to go to Bor, then he can die” went viral to many ears.

But Mr Kur said: “These were lies. Why am I still alive? He was questioned. “I am in Bor now, I actually got circumcised in Bor, and I have not died. Instead, I am alive and healthy. We should style up and abandon these rigid cultures, “he concluded.

A 24-year-old client who did not want his name to be disclosed said he shunned criticism given the modern exposure.

“Whenever you didn’t taste the food cooked by another woman; you will just think that your mother is the best cook,” he said.

“But there are other unique dishes besides that of your mother, so being circumcised is much better than the life we used to live,” he said.

When asked whether he still practises safe sex or not; he confessed that he still goes for safe sex, though the girlfriend gives him a hard time on a constant basis.

“In this part of the world, whenever you tell your girlfriend that you want to use a condom, she will feel bad and shy. She always thinks that condoms are for prostitutes, “the source stated.

According to him, he normally convinces the fiancée to accept safe sex even if she does not like condoms.

Relevancy

Daniel Wut Achom, Data Clerk, HIV/AIDs department at Bor State Hospital, believes the exercise will help the youngsters avoid contracting the disease if it continues.

“The people being circumcised are young people, but based on the prevalence among young people, it can help a lot in reduction of HIV infections. It is one of the strategies being used,” he said.

The official added the exercise would be better supported if the state established a centre within the main hospital.

About the Authors:

Deng Ghai Deng, a Data Speaks Fellow at #defyhatenow South Sudan, wrote this data story, which was edited by 211 Check Editor Emmanuel Bida Thomas and approved for publication by Steve Topua, a Data Analyst and Trainer. It is part of the ongoing #defyhatenow South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship program with funding from the European Union Delegation to South Sudan.

About South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship: 

This is a three months data journalism fellowship for South Sudanese content creators with an aim of educating participants on the fundamentals of data journalism through in-depth training facilitated by experienced data analysts.

The fellows have been selected from across South Sudan and they are trained in data sourcing/mining, data analysis, and data visualisation for three months (October to December) 

Each fellow will produce a minimum of three (03) data stories during the fellowship. The focus will be on increasing access to information

Data Story: Comparable data on Persons with disability in Eastern Equatoria State

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By Oriba Douglas

According to a national census conducted in 2008, prior to South Sudan’s independence in 2011, people with disabilities accounted for 5.1 per cent of the population, though the census is controversial and the number of disabled people is thought to be underestimated.

According to a 2016 household survey conducted by the Food Security and Livelihood Cluster in South Sudan, approximately 15% of households have at least one disabled family member.

According to the Food Security and Nutrition Monitoring Systems, South Sudan National Bureau of Statistics, OCHA, IPC Technical Working Group, Population Working Group, IOM, and UNHCR – South Sudan Population Estimates 2022, the number of people living with disabilities in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State is projected to be as shown in the visual below:

The above visualization is a small step in realising objective (3) of the WHO Global Disability Action Plan within South Sudan which is; to strengthen the collection of relevant and internationally comparable data on disability and support research on disability and related services.

Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) are defined by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments that, when combined with other barriers, prevent them from participating fully and effectively in society on an equal basis with others. Persons with disabilities are defined as “those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments that, when combined with other barriers, may prevent them from participating fully and effectively in society on an equal basis with others.”

Decades of conflict in South Sudan, both before and after independence in 2011, have increased the rate of disability and rendered people with disabilities more marginalised and excluded, owing to the numerous attitudinal, environmental, and institutional barriers they face, as well as a lack of concerted efforts to include them.

The World Health Organization has published the Global Disability Action Plan. This document aims to assist countries in directing their efforts toward specific actions to address the health concerns of people with disabilities. Three major goals were identified in the Action Plan:

  • to remove barriers and improve access to health services and programmes; 
  • to strengthen and extend rehabilitation, habilitation, assistive technology, assistance and support services, and community-based rehabilitation; 
  • to strengthen the collection of relevant and internationally comparable data on disability and support research on disability and related services.

For the World Health Organization Global Disability Action Plan to be achieved in South Sudan, official statistics on people living with disabilities need to be recorded. This is because despite decades of conflict and its impact on poverty and services, leaving many South

Sudanese with different types of disabilities, there are no official statistics in relation to disability

Prevalence in the country.

About the Authors:

Oriba Douglas, a Data Speaks Fellow at #defyhatenow South Sudan, wrote this data story, which was edited by 211 Check Editor Emmanuel Bida Thomas and approved for publication by Steve Topua, a Data Analyst and Trainer. It’s part of the ongoing #defyhatenow South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship program with funding from the European Union Delegation to South Sudan.

About South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship: 

This is a three months data journalism fellowship for South Sudanese content creators with an aim of educating participants on the fundamentals of data journalism through in-depth training facilitated by experienced data analysts.

The fellows have been selected from across South Sudan and they are trained in data sourcing/mining, data analysis, and data visualisation for three months (October to December) 

Each fellow will produce a minimum of three (03) data stories during the fellowship. The focus will be on increasing access to information

Data Story: South Sudan Floods database 2021 

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A look at the areas within South Sudan where flooding occurred the last year 2021, the populations affected and the exact counties that experienced the flooding. 

By Oriba Douglas

South Sudan experienced the worst flooding it had seen in 60 years in 2021. The flooding exacerbated South Sudan’s already-existing problems.

Political instability, conflict, underdevelopment, and disease outbreaks are among the challenges confronting the world’s newest nation, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011.

The burden of all of these, as exacerbated by the flooding, is enormous, necessitating the provision of much-needed assistance and aid to those affected by the floods.

UN OCHA South Sudan and its humanitarian partners on the ground in flood-affected areas compiled figures of South Sudanese affected by flooding in order to coordinate and inform efforts to help those affected by the floods.

OCHA discovered that Fangak County in Jonglei State had the highest number of people affected by flooding out of all the counties in South Sudan, with 67,191 people affected, including women and children.

According to OCHA’s reports, September and October are the months of the year when the most severe flooding is likely to occur in flood-prone areas.

Jonglei State has the highest flood burden in South Sudan, with 304,765 people affected by flooding, accounting for 15% of the state’s population. Though the state is no stranger to flooding, flooding in 2021 wreaked havoc in seven counties. Areas were cut off and only accessible by canoes and other improvised boat-like structures.

Meanwhile, Western Bahr el Ghazal and Central Equatoria are tied for the least number of people affected by flooding, but of the two, Western Bahr el Ghazal State is the most affected, with 2% of its population affected, compared to Central Equatoria, which has 1% of its population affected. Flooding in Central Equatoria is mostly confined to the capital city of Juba, which is located within Juba County.

There have been no reported cases of widespread flooding in Western and Eastern Equatoria States, and as a result, no cases of displacement as a result of flooding have been recorded.

Upper Nile State has been found to be the State most affected by flooding in terms of area distribution, with 8 of its counties affected by flooding, compared to Central Equatoria State, which has only one county affected by flooding, Juba.

About the Authors:

Oriba Douglas, a Data Speaks Fellow at #defyhatenow South Sudan, wrote this data story, which was edited by 211 Check Editor Emmanuel Bida Thomas and approved for publication by Steve Topua, a Data Analyst and Trainer. It’s part of the ongoing #defyhatenow South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship program with funding from the European Union Delegation to South Sudan.

About South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship: 

This is a three months data journalism fellowship for South Sudanese content creators with an aim of educating participants on the fundamentals of data journalism through in-depth training facilitated by experienced data analysts.

The fellows have been selected from across South Sudan and they are trained in data sourcing/mining, data analysis, and data visualisation for three months (October to December) 

Each fellow will produce a minimum of three (03) data stories during the fellowship. The focus will be on increasing access to information