By Ijoo Bosco
Eastern Equatoria state Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare encourages mature young women to join other political parties to achieve 35% affirmative action.
Minister Jenifer Nabongorika told women to select parties of their interest wisely to improve their performance and enjoy the benefits of political participation.
“We appealing to you our young women and ladies in the state to join the numbers of the peace party as the election approaches in order for us to attain our right rather than talking,” Jenifer said.
She spoke during the opening of a two-day workshop on Women for Women dissemination of the Political Parties Act 2012 Amendment Act 2023 in Torit.
State minister further stated the need for women to actively participate in peace parties and address the gender imbalance in the country, emphasizing the need for collective action.
She urged state national officials to focus on local grassroots women in eight counties, rather than focusing on the capital Juba.
Jenifer urges the South Sudan women’s coalition to intensify advocacy to bridge the gender gap between national and state women in eastern Equatoria.
“Yes, we have a very big gap among our fellow women in the national government who don’t border to even visit the grassroots women or support them, am calling on you the South Sudan Women coalition to advocate hard to bridge this gap because it might not be the same once the election comes,” lamented Jenifer.
Meanwhile, Mama Semira Louis said state women have no political parties but are working to attain their 35% representation.
She also challenges women traditional authorities to work in coordination with state lawmakers in order to address their moral problems within their areas of Jurisdiction.
However, the deputy director for South Sudan Women Coalition ambassador Jacqueline Natepi encourages state men to champion the fight against gender within their societies.
Jacqueline appealed to the state women to unite their rank and work as a team in order for them to meet their goal of 30% comes the election by joining the peace parties in the agreement.
The event brought together state women parliamentarians, cabinet ministers and civil society organizations in Torit town.