A leading South Sudanese civil society organization has called on the country’s leaders to appoint women to ministerial and parliamentary positions in the upcoming transitional government of national unity.
The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization said at least 25% of national ministers must be women “without any compromise or excuse.”
CEPO called on the government to appoint four women as national ministers out of its 16 portfolios, and the SPLM-In Opposition to appoint three women to its ten positions, as well as two women as deputy ministers.
The SPLM-IO should appoint twelve or thirteen women parliamentarians to the transitional national assembly, and the other political parties should appoint four women, CEPO added.
CEPO said the political leaders must consult with women in choosing their appointments, while also reflecting South Sudan’s national diversity including regional partipation.
The civil society statement comes after the country’s four main political groups – the government, SPLM-IO, Former Detainees, and other political parties – yesterday selected their ministerial portfolios for the transitional government.
CEPO executive director Edmund Yakani said the sharing of the ministries is a remarkabl step for enhancing effective implementation of the August peace deal. He further congratulated the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission for its leadership in guiding the parties to consensus.