By Hou Akot Hou
Women have petitioned the government and partners to empower them on how to report gender-based violence (GBV) cases among the community.
The women in Aweil South County, Northern Bahr El Ghazal State said partners such as the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), could support the government on GBV reporting awareness.
The call in an effort to restrain the rising cases of sexual and domestic violence against women and girls in the country was made at Malek-Alel, Aweil South County headquarters, on Monday.
It was an occasion where UNMISS had organized peace dissemination rally.
Amou Majok, a woman representative, speaking at the rally, urged UNMISS to consider sensitizing women on matters regarding GBV.
Mrs. Majok said women at the grassroots are yearning for emancipation since they lagged behind and are detached from partners and government institutions.
“There is awareness or sensitization conducted by partners in the county to alert people to the dangers of GBV,” she added.
She said that in Aweil South County, issues of rape and domestic violence have been on the increase.
Majok appealed to the partners to strategize and budget for activities that promote the importance of peaceful homes where violence is reduced.
She said the society should not expose young girls and boys to forceful sex.
Responding to the request of the women, Mrs. Arkangelo Bak, the Director General in the state Ministry of gender, child, and social welfare, acknowledged the existence of such flaws in society.
She said she had met recently with partners such as the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and UNICEF, who have shared reports with them on GBV matters.
Ms. Arkangelo, however, faults men who don’t value innocent children’s futures by raping them.
“But why do you play with the child who is innocent? I am very sorry; cases are being brought to the Ministry about rape and violence from different counties,” she said.
“My last message is to the police and the chiefs. I learned that the police allow the perpetrators to go unpunished. What is your role as a police officer?” she questioned.
Arkangelo stated that since the beginning of the year, to date, they have compiled 48 cases of GBV in the state.
Gender-based violence is violence directed against a person because of their gender.
Both women and men experience GBV, but the vice mostly affects women and girls, including rape, harassment, and female genital mutilation in some countries on the African continent.
GBV experts are gearing towards enacting policies to combat the behavior that is ingrained in societal settings. Some women fear stigmatization and reprisal when disclosing the perpetrators.