The Chairperson of the Terekeka County Women Association, Asunta Paul, has called for the empowerment of women to foster job creation and self-reliance, particularly in the rural areas.
She made the call amidst the South Sudan economic crisis, highlighting that many women in Terekeka were unemployed, and those with business ambitions often lacked the start-up capital.
The national and international NGOs, she said, should step their support, particularly in Terekeka.
The women in Terekeka were suffering as there were no economic activities to support them, Asunta said, adding that there were few organizations operating in the county.
“Previously, we had only the Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative. It conducted training for women and gave them the start-up capital. We are still appealing to other organisations to help,” she said.
Women in South Sudan face numerous challenges, including food insecurity, scarcity of clean water, political instability, the raging floods and the lack of infrastructure and healthcare.
Asunta said the challenges had forced the women to resort to farming to earn a living in a region that lacked enough rainfall.
“Women in Terekeka were farming, but the problem is the inadequate rain this year. All the crops have dried up,” she said.
“Another problem is the floods. Many places have been submerged.”