South Sudan’s new transitional government of national unity comprises only 20% women, putting men mostly in control of the ruling coalition.
Only six out of the thirty cabinet minister positions are held by women, meaning 80% are filled by men and leaving women in a small minority of posts.
Earlier this year the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization called on the different political factions to make sure 25% of cabinet ministers were women.
Salva Kiir’s faction appointed women to 31% of its ministerial positions, with women in five out of its sixteen ministries.
These politicians are Rebecca Joshua Okwaci for Roads and Bridges, Josephine Napwon for Environment and Forestry, Jemma Nunu Kumba for Wildlife Conservation and Tourism, Awut Deng Acuil for Gender, Child, and Social Welfare, and Nadia Arop Dudi for Culture, Youth, and Sports.
By contrast, Riek Machar’s side appointed only one woman, Mary Alphonse Nadio Lodira for Land, Housing and Urban Development, out of its ten ministries. That is only 10% representation.
Meanwhile, the Former Detainees group and the Other Political Parties failed to appoint any women. Those groups have two ministries each, all of which went to men.