The girl child education in Northern Upper Nile State is faced with several challenges despite various attempts to support the initiative, a lawmaker said.
Speaking at a public rally in Jalhak County on Sunday, Akeer Akuei, the deputy chairperson of the parliamentary committee for information said cases of girls being married at an early age is rampant in the state.
She further said girls in her community are married before the age of 18, attributing the problem to traditional practices deeply rooted amongst the communities.
The state lawmaker urged families to send their daughters to school to enable them continue with their education.
The lawmaker criticized the former state governor, Awer Dau Agany for allegedly failing to run state institutions, including the state assembly.
"The former governor failed to run the state and open the council. Let’s give the new governor a chance too, if we do not see anything moving, we will not shut up, we will talk,” Akuei said.
“We will continue voicing our demands,” she added.
Article 17 of the South Sudan constitution defines a child as anyone under the age of 18, and further states that the best interests of the child will be protected in all matters related to his or her life.
Previous studies found that child marriage in South Sudan is still influenced by traditions, and the main drivers are now poverty and hunger fuelled by conflict. A breakdown in the rule of law is also one of the factors.