The women in South Sudan’s Warrap State are urging the state government to appoint more women in administrative and political positions there.
Out of the 17 state ministries, the Warrap State government has only two female ministers. There are also five independent commissions and six counties in which no woman has been appointed.
The 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement demands 35 percent representation for women in governance bodies at both state and national levels.
Speaking last week, the women expressed their frustrations.
Nyanut Madut, director-general in the state ministry of gender child and social welfare called men to respect women and allow them to work in offices.
“We want to tell our husbands and brothers to let women have equal opportunities in workplaces. Women have gone to schools with men and some men don’t value women’s education yet they are capable to be in local courts, statuary courts and I urge the government to recruit educated women as police investigators so that women’s problems are addressed comprehensively,” Madut said.
According to Madut, the government should have at least four female ministers and women county commissioners.
“We have six counties and none has a woman commissioner. We should have four women in ministerial positions out of 17 ministers instead we have only two female ministers and as I speak, am only female in top civil servants,” she added.
Elizabeth Awal Akok said there are many qualified women in Warrap and they should be allowed to serve.
“The women of Warrap state are ready to do what the men can do so that we are equal. We want women in every institution including commissions,” Awal insisted.
For her part, Deborah Oduel Okech, Warrap state deputy governor called on women to embrace education as the only way to compete with their male counterparts in government positions.
“We have to focus on the education of our girls by keeping them in schools and supporting the women who are known as kitchen workers. Without education, women can not compete with men,” She explained. “What makes me stand before men, was my father who allowed me to access education. I urge our male partners especially chairpersons of political parties to consider women presentations in parliament and other political positions in our state.”