An international non-governmental organization in collaboration with Equatoria Women Organization (EWO) has organized an annual gathering for women in the capital Juba.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj during the closing of the women’s annual gathering last Wednesday, John Kubako, a project manager at Equatoria Women Organization said the three-day workshop for women from different locations in the country provided an opportunity for interactions, generation of new ideas and examining roles women play in peace building and decision making processes.
The forum, he said, also provides an avenue for building advocacy networks at grassroots level on the rights of women and girls to ensure they are protected from all negative cultural norms.
“We have been doing this project to give women a platform to share their experiences on the messages we give them and how they have translated into action, the challenges facing them during the implementation and achievements made and also test and see the perception some of the communities have in regard to what they received on the project and compare with the time before the project came to them,” stressed Kubako.
“The project is implemented in Torit, Yirol, Nimule and Ganyliel,” he added.
Meanwhile, the acting director of gender at the national ministry of gender and social welfare, Mary Kasogo Ali applauded the initiative.
“This project is so relevant and it is an eye opener to equip and empower women to participate in peace building. It is helping us in disseminating information at the grassroots level,” said Kasogo.
She added, “We need peace in our country and it is a collective responsibility for both men and women”.
The paramount chief of Torit State, Magadelena Ehisa Tito said women in rural areas are not included in the peace implementation.
“Women at the grassroots level have not been included in the peace dialogue, only urban women are participating in the peace process. I call on the government of South Sudan to take serious actions on rape, early and forced marriages so that girls can have a chance to study. Young daughters are dying because their parents need dowry out of them,” said Ehisa.
Operational in South Sudan since 2006, Plan International presently works in Central and Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei and Lakes regions.