SOUTH SUDAN: Call For Unity Among Eastern Equatoria State Men To Protect Women

By Debora Akur Chol, South Sudan

The United Nations (UN) Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Gender Unit, has called on all men in Eastern Equatoria State to form an alliance aimed at preventing all forms of violence against women.

The appeal was made on Wednesday as part of a wider effort to promote gender equality and women’s rights in the region.

UNMISS highlighted that women in Eastern Equatoria continue to suffer from gender-based violence, driven by harmful traditional practices such as wife beating, denial of property rights, and limitations in decision-making roles.

The call was made during a one-day forum organised by the UNMISS Gender Unit to discuss positive masculinity, encourage greater women’s participation, and address violence against women.

The event aimed to foster open conversations about how men can translate these discussions into practical, sustainable actions, while also assessing the role of culture and tradition in promoting women’s rights and preventing violence.

Mikelina Emilio, UNMISS Gender Unit Officer, emphasised that creating a male alliance could help combat harmful practices and cultural norms.

She urged men across the state to take the lead in advocating for women’s rights and working to prevent violence.

“By reflecting on the role of traditions and culture in advancing women’s rights, we can leverage these elements to prevent violence against women.

“It’s crucial to build an alliance of positive masculinity in Eastern Equatoria State so we don’t fall behind,” Emilio said.

Dominica Idwa, the Director General for Gender, Child, and Social Welfare in Eastern Equatoria, encouraged men to collaborate and support women in pushing for change.

She highlighted that many educated women remain confined to domestic roles because their husbands deny them access to employment, a situation that demands collective action to resolve.

Torit County Executive Director Tisiano Tafeng Angarama noted that, in many of Eastern Equatoria’s cultures, men hold the positions of heads, providers, and protectors of families.

He called on women to continue advocating for their rights and promoting an end to gender-based violence.

Simon Saidi from the Change Spark Foundation stressed that achieving women’s rights would be impossible unless practices such as the high bride price were abolished.

He urged both men and women to actively work towards ending these traditions that infringe upon women’s rights.

The forum served as an important platform for raising awareness and fostering dialogue about gender equality, with a shared vision of creating a more inclusive and equitable society for women in Eastern Equatoria.