By Keji Janefer
The Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, Aya Warille, paid a courtesy visit, Tuesday, to the National Transformation Leadership Institute, at the University of Juba premise, to acquaint herself with the work of the institute.
The National Transformation Leadership Institute was initiated in 2016 by a group of women, with the aim of addressing gender issues and empowering women who are aspiring to become leaders, regardless of their educational background, according to Dr. Angelina Bazugba, the director of the institute.
While briefing the minister on the work of the institute, Dr. Bazugba said that the institute had so far trained four thousand young men and women across the ten states, and pointed out that the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, is a key partner in terms of implementing their activities.
On her part, the minister commended the work of the institute and promised to work hand in hand with the women. However, Ms Warile said she welcomed any criticism if she did not perform well the ministry, as people would expect.
“I will really need your support if you see that I have gone off point in the course of carrying out my duties as a minister of gender. I know people are expecting a lot from me, but still I don’t know what they want until they tell me,” the minister asserted.
She urged the women to do their work as expected so that they could be exemplary to the South Sudanese people, especially women who are aspiring to become leaders. Women have been advocating for their rights to participate in all forms of decision making processes, not only in South Sudan, but women all over the world. Women in South Sudan have been granted 35% representation in the government’s political institutions, according to the peace agreement, after the civil war in the country.