SOUTH SUDAN: Ministry of Gender Calls for Enhanced Grassroots Engagement on Women’s Rights

By Deborah Akur Chol, South Sudan

The Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare is urging for increased grassroots involvement in the advancement of women’s rights throughout South Sudan. This call to action was made during a recent two-day workshop aimed at sharing the concluding observations from the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Esther Ikere, the Undersecretary of the Ministry, highlighted that this workshop is essential as the government prepares for its forthcoming periodic report to the CEDAW Committee in Geneva. “We are currently conducting consultations with civil society organizations, women’s rights advocates, and youth groups to gauge their understanding of the concluding observations and to help disseminate that information,” Ikere stated.

She acknowledged existing gaps in outreach, expressing concern that local communities have not been adequately engaged. “We recognize that our efforts have yet to fully reach the grassroots level. While we have engaged youth and women-led organizations and community groups, we still need to make inroads with traditional leaders who play a pivotal role in upholding customs and laws where injustices occur. Unfortunately, it is often women who bear the brunt of these practices.”

Ikere underscored the necessity of working closely with civil society during the implementation phase. “This is a valuable opportunity for us to collaborate with civil society on CEDAW implementation. CEDAW reflects the realities of our country and highlights how women’s rights are being realized.”

Nunu Diana, Project Manager at CIGPJ, emphasized the significance of the gathering for women’s rights organizations. “Today, we have brought together 25 women’s rights organizations to discuss the CEDAW concluding observations. This dialogue will contribute to the report that South Sudan will present in Geneva, spearheaded by the Ministry of Gender and the Center for Inclusive Governance, Peace and Justice.”

She pointed out the key themes of the workshop, stating, “We will assess South Sudan’s current standing regarding women’s empowerment and gender equality while addressing discrimination against women and girls. This report will aim to shed light on the safety concerns for women and girls, including issues like child marriage and gender-based violence, as well as the exclusion of women from political participation.”

The outcomes of the workshop will be instrumental in shaping South Sudan’s upcoming CEDAW report and will help guide efforts to bridge the gender equality divide, particularly at the grassroots level. The Ministry confirmed that findings from the workshop will be compiled and submitted to the Ministry of Justice before being forwarded to the CEDAW Committee in Geneva.

South Sudan ratified CEDAW on April 30, 2014, with the treaty coming into effect in February 2015. The Ministry previously oversaw the preparation of the country’s inaugural report, which was presented to the CEDAW Committee in Geneva in November 2021.