By Philip Buda Ladu
Activists call for stronger protection of women and girls and increased female representation in governance and peace processes.
The call by women leaders from civil society organizations and government, across South Sudan, came during gathering for the 2024 Annual National Women Leaders Conference on Women, Peace, and Security.
As the world marks the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, women worldwide, South Sudanese women, continue to express deep concern about the ongoing backlash against their meaningful participation in decision-making and peacebuilding efforts.
During the conference’s opening on Tuesday, Rita Lopidia, the Executive Director of Eve Organization for Women Development, echoed these sentiments.
“As we hold this conference in the era of the extended transitional period, women and girls in South Sudan still face a number of challenges; majorly the economic situation, insecurity, gender-based violence (GBV), forced displacement due to floods among many other challenges,” Lopidia said.
She amplified fellow women’s call for the government and its partners to do better in easing the suffering of women and girls and the citizens of South Sudan during this difficult time.
Lopidia emphasized that little progress has been realized so far on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda operationalization.
“We do not have the national action plan for the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and other key laws and frameworks that support women and girls,” the women activists underscored.
She called on the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare and all other women in the executive and legislature at both national and state levels to gather efforts to ensure that these key frameworks and the national action plan is realized to support the course of women and girls in South Sudan.
Modi Mbaraza Enosa, Executive Director for Young Christian Women Association (YWCA) South Sudan, in her opening remarks also echoed the same sentiments and reminded the government of the need to protect women and girls.
“Women are experiencing several issues –in terms of protection they not are protected, they are being raped from time to time and then we have been undergoing a lot of challenges because of this,” she emphasized.
Since Women, Peace and Security is one instrument that gives women the platform to exercise their rights, Mrs. Mbaraza urged everybody who understands the course to enforce the program to progress well.
Mbaraza hinted that women from the beginning have effectively, and immensely contributed to the wellbeing of this country, thus calling for their more involvement in the affairs of the nation.
“We are asking the government to engage more women participation at different levels to enable us to build a good nation” Mbaraza continued. “Women can be very good leaders and because of that we need opportunities to be given to women so that we can develop the country.”
She added that unity among women is paramount to pursuing a common goal of sustainable peace in South Sudan.
Eve Organization for women development in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, donors and other partners organized the 2024 annual women leaders’ conference in Juba under the theme “Forging collaboration for advancing women leadership for lasting peace and security in South Sudan”.
The purpose of the conference on women, peace and security is to provide a platform for South Sudanese women to reflect on issues of women, peace and security, and rise these issues with government and partners.
This year’s conference will consolidate the priorities of women from national and state levels for the extended transition and coordinate efforts to push for actions that will advocate for sustainable peace.
It’s further meant to elevate the voices of women and girls affected by the myriad of challenges and speak truth to power, while charting a clear path toward a peaceful, inclusive and prosperous South Sudan.