By Charles K Mark
Greater Equatoria Land Alliance (GELA) appeals to policymakers to give priority to protection and recognition of women’s land rights.
Chairperson of GELA, Stephen Sokiri Mule said that women should be at the forefront of every operation to achieve success.
He added that women possess the innate ability to accomplish anything, even at great personal cost. Therefore, it is crucial to empower them to the fullest extent possible.
“We continue to engage line organizations to push these voices so that the needs of women, especially land ownership and lands, are recognized,” Sokiri said.
IWD focuses on issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.
It is a day to commemorate the social, economic, and political achievements of women in the world.
For that reason, the Executive Director of the Women Foundation for Humanity, Dorothy Ambrose Drabuga, warned that men should now open their eyes to the fact that women do exist as strong partners.
Drabuga, who also doubles as chairperson of the South Sudan Land Alliance (SSULA), says that it has been way too long since women have been marginalized and denied their rights.
“This is to remind our government and whoever is responsible that women are here to stay and we are ready to take any action to achieve our rights,” she vowed.
Drabuga reminded us that customs, traditions, and many stereotyping vices that deprived women of many of their rights have been scrutinized over the years.
“I am happy to say that many women are now educated, many are now entrusted to inherit property such as land and take care of it instead of men, and again, we as women can now eat chicken, unlike back in the day,” she added.
The Land Advocate advised women who face land disputes to take advantage of the existence of paralegals to support them in the fight against land disparities.