By Ijoo Bosco
Top official in South Sudan’s eastern Equatoria state regrets increasing rates of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) due to economic crises in the country.
Director General in the state ministry of Gender noted that closed year, due to increasing cost of living, there have been high rates of Gender-Based Violence, in the state.
“GBV occurrence in Eastern Equatoria has different trends based on the situation that people are in and based on the festivals last year’s trend for GBV has been high. It was just simply because of the looming hunger that was happening and the economic crisis that has happened in the state and across the country” Idwa explained.
Dominica Idwa Vitale, while speaking to N0. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper hoped families refrain from violence this year after harvesting from their farms.
Produce from last year was not all that well and hunger was looming so much that there were a lot of cases of gender-based violence reported across the state” she added.
Optimistic Idwa prays that 2025 is a year of peace, and calls for cooperation and understanding amongst communities to strive to reduce gender base violence.
Probably, I can see this year 2025, as people say the year of peace, it should be the year of reduction of GBV also, because when there is peace when people are satisfied, people don’t fight because there is no need to fight.
When they have everything, you can work for yourselves, do something for yourself that can be productive, there is no way to look for problems”, Idwa commented.
She also acknowledged the efforts by partners organizations in sensitizing the local communities on the dangers of gender base violence that has contributed to some individuals understanding ways to reduce GBV through economic engagements.
“I’m looking at this year to be a year of reduction in gender base violence in a way that many people are now having some food in their homes while others are trying to understand how to reduce GBV through economic activities. Especially, women and who are sitting in the market, doing some small businesses have started understanding the issues of GBV, that even if you create violence at home, it’s not productivity, instead it reduces you, reduces your productivity. For example, when you are injured, you will not be working again, you will not be doing business. So, it’s like people have started understanding,” Idwa said.
The Director General further encourages partner organizations to double up their effort by introducing new strategies on prevention and response to eliminate gender base violence among the citizens.
She reiterated that partner organizations should always involve men and women together by empowering them so that issues of GBV can reduce in the community.
“We are still urging that most of the partners who are still coming to prevent and respond to GBV should come with different strategies, especially in the way of bringing men and women together not only one-sided, bring men and women together empower them so that issues of GBV can reduce in the community”, Idwa Added.
Meanwhile, Executive Director of Road to Economic Development Organization (REDO), Juma Robert said they support women in business empowerment by providing them with some capital.
Mr. Juma narrates that, they will be working in a consortium with Star Trust Organization in order to train and empower the state women on business management to uplift their livelihood across the state.
“Firstly we are going to create awareness on related law issues or we can solve women’s problem doing business, those people will bring you the economic part but we can bring you awareness training on how women can run their business well and if there is a problem there on how they can resolves the problem,” she he said.
He also added that they will be targeting two counties in eastern Equatoria, Magwi and Torit counties respectively to benefit from the small capital that will be awarded to organize groups of businesswomen currently running their work in the selected market in the two counties.