By Kidega Livingstone
Women and youth should join to participate in the anticipated December 2024 elections.
Director for Gender, Child, and Social Welfare at the office of Vice President of Gender and Youth Cluster, Dr. Elizabeth Joseph Shadar made the call on Thursday. She also emphasized the need to have a stable and conducive environment to ensure the conduct of credible, free, and fair polls.
Dr. Elizabeth was speaking during the launch of the promotion of peace and social cohesion to mitigate electoral violence in South Sudan, a project being implemented by Christian Aid.
She stressed that youth and women’s participation in the peace process could yield the best result for peace in the country.
“Election can provide the best possible way to achieve permanent peace at all levels, but a conducive environment and total stability are the keys for the country to move ahead,” she said.
“The mindset of our people needs to change toward women’s participation in politics and development because women are capable of doing the best job and in decision-making,” she added.
She advised that infrastructure and natural disasters, as well as civic education and awareness in the election, should be a priority of the government before the election is conducted so that there will be no complaints in terms of missing voting and to avoid another obstacle.
A Member of Parliament representing Kajo-Keji County, Central Equatoria State, Scopas Taban, said people with disabilities should also join political parties so that they can participate in the general election.
“Persons with disabilities have been given names, especially in Arabic, but my advice is that you should join the political parties so that they can amplify your voices; politics is not bad,” Taban advised.
He urged that the consequences of electoral violence can take a long time to end, and as a result, the country will continue to move backward.