An independent organization for journalists in Sudan has been honoured for its commitment to deliver accurate, lifesaving information amid the ongoing civil war, the UN educational and cultural agency UNESCO announced on Thursday.
Reports of online violence against women journalists have doubled since 2020, with serious impacts on their health and well-being, according to a study published ahead ofWorld Press Freedom Daymarked annually on 3 May.
The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate is thelatest recipient ofthe UNESCO/GuillermoCanoWorld Press Freedom Prizein recognition of the role it has played in condemning the deliberate targeting ofmedia workersin the conflict.
The fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and former allies the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) whichbroke outin April 2023 hascreatedone of the worlds worst humanitarian emergencies and displacement crises.
Courage and dedication
Since then, theSudanese Journalists Syndicatehasdocumented 32 journalists deaths, some 556 violations againstmedia workers and the closure ofnumerousnewspapers and radio stations, making Sudan one of the most dangerous countries to be a journalist,UNESCOsaid.
Khaled El-Enany,the UNESCODirector-General, commended members for their extraordinary courage and unwavering dedication.
Despite immense challenges, they continue, day after day, to deliver accurate, lifesaving information to their communities when it matters most, hesaid.
Their commitment is a powerful example to us all and a vital service to truth, accountability, and peace.
Safeguarding values, amplifying voices
The announcement was made ahead ofWorld Press Freedom Day,celebrated annually on 3 May.
ForAbdelmoniemAbuedriesAli,chair of thecollective,the award is not only a recognition of the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate, but a tribute to all Sudanese journalists who continue to defend truth and press freedom under extremely difficult and dangerous conditions.
He added that it reaffirmsthe vital role of independent journalism in safeguarding democratic values and amplifying the voices of civiliansaffected by war.
Violenceina zone of silence
The conflict has severely disrupted news gathering and worsened the media landscape in Sudan, UNESCO said.
Journalists have been threatened with violence and arrest,90 per cent ofmedia infrastructure has been destroyed, and reporting has beenhamperedby internet and telecommunications blackouts.
These conditions effectivelyrenderthe country a zone of silence in which large parts of the population exist in an information vacuum, UNESCO said, whiledisinformationand propaganda are spreading widely, fuelling hatred and polarization.
The UN agency has stood by Sudanese journalists since the war began. Its activities have included helping toestablishthe Sudanese Media Forumcomprisingmore than 20 media outlets whichadvocatesfor press freedom andkeepsinternational focus onSudans humanitarian crisis.
Safe spaces and support
UNESCOhasalso conducted a survey toidentifyjournalists needs, leading to the setting-up of two safe spaces for them inthe coastal city ofPort Sudan.Some49 journalists haveso farreceived direct support, including helpwithrelocating to safer areas withinthe country andabroad.
World Press Freedom Day, celebrated annually on 3 May, is also an opportunity to assess the state of press freedom, which is waning everywhere, not just Sudan.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider
Protecting press freedom protects democracy.
Press freedom in decline
A recent UNESCO report reveals a 10 per cent decline in freedom of expression worldwide since 2012asituation that is comparable only to three other periods,the First World War over a century ago, the prelude to the Second World War, and the late 1970s Cold War period.
Globally,self-censorship among the press grew bynearly 70per centbetween 2012 and 2025, affirming that the most damaging form of censorship is now internalized.
Furthermore, journalists and others working in the press have faced diverse forms of legal harassment that includes defamation lawsuits in the multi-million-dollar range, anti-terrorismregulationsand financial legislation.
Research byUN Womenand other entitieshas also revealed a surge in online targeting of journalists, particularly women.
Despite these setbacks, UNESCO highlighted signs of hope, including growing recognition of community media, while its2025 global surveyrevealed thatnearly halfof 194 countries reviewed now have legal frameworks in place.
UNESCO will host the World Press Freedom Conference in Zambias capital, Lusaka, next week where the agency will call on governments and civil society to recommit to support independent journalism and the free flow of information.
About the award
The UNESCO/GuillermoCanoWorld Press Freedom Prizeispresented annually to a person, organisation or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to press freedom, and especially in the face of danger.
The award is named in honour of Colombian journalist GuillermoCanoIsaza, who was assassinated in front of the offices of his newspaper,, in Bogot, on 17 December 1986.
The prize wasestablishedin1997andwinners are selected by an international independent jury of media professionals.
Previouslaureates includePalestinian journalists covering Gaza andMaria Ressa of the Philippines, jointrecipientof the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize alongside fellow journalist Dmitry Muratov of Russia.
