The Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), in partnership with a local NGO, Active South Sudan Citizen, on Wednesday concluded a three-day dialogue on youth inclusion in the electoral process at the Bentiu IDP camp in Unity State.
The dialogue aimed to increase youth participation in the ongoing electoral processes and secure youth allotment quotas in the election institutions and decision-making processes.
Speaking during the workshop, Gatluak Meat, a member of the election commission in Unity State, said the ongoing electoral process is in the hands of political parties that signed the 2018 peace agreement.
“What we know as a commission is that the plan to conduct general elections in December 2026 is in place,” he stated. “We were instructed by the parties to use the 2008 census results to determine the number of constituencies and add where necessary, and set a mechanism for post-election conflicts.”
For her part, Nyayang Chieng, a resident of Bentiu IDP Camp, urged that women be included in the election process.
“Since South Sudan is in crisis, we (women) are already disadvantaged by violence and flooding,” she lamented. “We cannot afford to undergo another crisis; we need an election that will be transparent, free, fair, and credible.”
Meanwhile, a participant who only identified himself as Santo said thousands of youth are expected to participate in the forthcoming elections at the county and state levels.
“Our message to the leaders is that if things are not organized like a census, security, and a post-election crisis management mechanism, then the election will not be credible, free, and fair,” he stated. “So, we are warning that we don’t need another crisis because we are still in crises now.”