The author, an activist for the education of girls, argues that South Sudan will benefit from educating all children, including girls.
South Sudan has been plunged into a deadly ten months long conflict, making class attendance a challenge for young girls across the country. This will not be the only effect, but it could lead to a huge human resources scarcity.
I want peace to be brought as soon as possible so that our girls get opportunities for studies that will fulfill the saying: “If you educate a boy, you have done for an individual, but if you educate a girl, you educate the whole nation.”
So let’s all encourage girl child education. Let’s all find ways and means to send all girls to school.
I also urge the international community and the all the education partners especially UNICEF to demonstrate and exert their efforts in possible ways that can support South Sudanese young girls to get access to education.
Since many years ago, South Sudanese communities believed that girls are the sacred sources of incomes in terms of dowries and they should not go to school for one reason or another, which is an extreme violation of child rights.
Today South Sudan is among the world’s recognized nations and therefore we should work hard to join the rest of developed nations regardless of all these chaos that have engulfed the whole young nation.
I do believe peace will come in the shortest time possible. Our country will look as South Korea or Malaysia, prospering as much as we can if we focus on our girls’ education. I can’t wait to send my daughter to school.
To men: please don’t look to their breasts, faces or long hair… treat them as your daughters and sisters – they are still too young.
I need young South Sudanese to take the example of youngest United Nations 2014 peace noble prize winner Ms. Malala Yousif, Pakistani child education activist.
She won the peace noble prize worldwide at 17 years old.
File photo: Girls under UN protection in Bentiu, South Sudan