Today is International Women's Day, a day on which organizations and activists will show their appreciation for women and call for development and respect for their rights.

Ghada James Killa, a former member of the Central Equatoria State Legislative Assembly, says that women in South Sudan need to work toward equality with men so that people are treated equally.

“I think in South Sudan that we're making progress, steps have been made by women since 2005 after the peace until we made the South Sudanese government, until the separation of South Sudan in 2011. We have tried to make progress politically and economic and even social, because I see that there are social changes,” she said.

Full audio of the interview in Arabic is below.

Meanwhile, today the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare have organized a commemoration today at Nyakuron Cultural Centre in Juba, with support from UN agencies, NGOs (BRAC, JICA and NPA), private sector organizations (Vivacell), and civil society stakeholders. 

In a message on the occasion of International Women's Day, the UN Secretary-General said in part, “On this International Women’s Day, I remain outraged by the denial of rights to women and girls – but I take heart from the people everywhere who act on the secure knowledge that women’s empowerment leads to society’s advancement.”

“Let us devote solid funding, courageous advocacy and unbending political will to achieving gender equality around the world. There is no greater investment in our common future,” said Ban Ki-moon.

For its part, UNESCO South Sudan pointed out that today's national theme for women's day is “Pledge to End Child Marriage.” The organization said, “Ending early marriage is a key step in levelling the playing field to allow women full access to the social arena.”

Nonviolent Peacefore, an NGO working in South Sudan, remarked in its own statement, “International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women... On this day, it is important to recognize the vulnerabilities that many women and girls face in South Sudan today whilst looking ahead to their untapped potential and opportunities.”

File photo: Women's Day in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan, 2012