The police in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria’s Mundri West County say cases of gender-based violence (GBV) have been rising in the county.
First Lieutenant Alice Bonface, in charge of the GBV desk in the Mundri Police department, said there are about four GBV cases reported weekly.
“Cases of rape, which is gender-based violence against women are many and are happening in this area. This year, every week we have about three to four cases. It is not just rape only, there are marriage disputes, fights, and forced marriages,” Bonface noted.
She adds, “There is no court ruling on these cases because there are no judges to do it. Now we use chiefs but it is not their mandate according to the law.”
The chairperson of the Women Association for Mundri West County Christine Siti appealed to non-governmental organizations working within the county to support the gender office in addressing GBV cases.
“I am appealing to the non-governmental organizations who work in the gender department to work with the police to help in tackling the rape cases,” Siti appealed.