Youth in Rumbek Central County recently wrapped up a transformative two-day training program focused on gender equality and equity.
The training, organized by Oxfam GB, brought together 60 participants, comprising 20 females and 40 males from the Payams of Jiir, Amongpiny, and Matangai.
The gender equality and equity training was held at Serena Hotel in Rumbek and concluded last Friday.
Mary Ador Mading, one of the female participants, shared her positive experience with Radio Tamazuj, stating, “I have gained knowledge. We discussed how best we can roll out this training in a fair way so that the community can enjoy its benefits. We also discussed mobilizing the community to promote awareness on promoting gender equality and gender equity. I am very happy that this training has been a success and we thank Oxfam for organizing this capacity-building program.”
Mary emphasized the importance of spreading the message to the community, especially against early and forced marriages, which are prevalent challenges faced by young girls and women. “We are going to change this message to our community not to practice early and forced marriages. These are challenges facing us. We are going to talk to our community and to our parents to prevent these early and forced marriages for our girls and women,” she said.
Dominic Dumic Yuol, a gender champion from Matangai Payam, highlighted the training’s primary objective, which was to transform harmful cultural practices affecting the youth in the community and society.
He explained, “We have been enlightened on things that can help us positively transform our communities. We discussed a common culture in the community of removing the lower teeth and scarring of the forehead, and forced marriages.”
Oxfam GB’s gender and protection officer based in Rumbek, Jok Mading, shed light on the organization’s initiatives in Lakes State, particularly the DINIDA project, which focuses on DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration) and good governance. Jok emphasized that the youth were trained as gender champions to challenge gender inequalities, address negative cultural norms, and promote gender equality in the community.
“We trained them on girls’ action learning systems where we facilitate using tools like gender box and file sorting to encourage positive participation in the community and to end gender negative norms and discrimination,” Jok stated.
The training aimed to equip the youth with the necessary skills to raise awareness within the community and promote equal power relations for both males and females.
Peter Gum Ater, Director General of the state Ministry of Gender and Child Welfare in Lakes State, praised the efforts to tackle gender inequality and urged the youth to approach the issue without causing gender violence problems. He stressed the significance of gender equality for societal development and encouraged the involvement of women in all sectors, including high-ranking positions.
“This is one of the reasons you have been trained as gender champions so that you can engage all the sectors to include women. We are still to engage the organized forces so that women should come to the high rank and the institutions should also come to managerial positions,” he said.
By engaging the youth in addressing the problems affecting their communities, the training aims to bring an end to harmful practices and contribute to lasting peace. Oxfam GB hopes that the trained youth, as gender champions, will act as catalysts for positive change in promoting gender equality and dismantling gender inequalities in Rumbek Central County.