While celebrating International Women’s Day on Wednesday in Wau of Western Bahr el Ghazal State, South Sudanese women slammed the government for violating the 35 percent affirmative action.
This came hot on the heels of President Salva Kiir’s dismissal of the Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs Angelina Teny.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, several women said President Kiir violated the 35 percent women representation clause in the peace agreement.
“Concerning the decree by his Excellency, we as women, are not happy because we feel it is a great violation of the 35 percent affirmative action,” Viola Jembi said. “This affects our participation at the governance levels as women and we feel our rights have been violated.”
Jembi, however, said since the decree has been issued, they demand that the president appoints a female in the same position.
“Since the decree has come, we cannot oppose the president maybe he has his point but for us, we need to know and if there is a representative, we need it to be a woman,” she said.
“We are so happy today during this Women’s Day and we are demanding women’s representatives in the executive,” said Christina Alfonse, another woman at the celebrations.
Meanwhile, Sebilia Sebit, also at the celebrations said women have achieved a lot despite facing numerous challenges in the country.
“Women have been facing many challenges but also we have to appreciate the efforts made by women in South Sudan. In the last two to three years women have contributed so much in the economic, political, and cultural aspects of the country,” she said.
Sebit further urged the government to put more effort into reducing the rate of gender-based violence by establishing more mobile courts to try GBV cases.
For her part, Ambassador Marjan Schippers from the Netherlands Embassy in South Sudan, said: “International Women’s Day 2023 here in Wau is a day where women are recognized and appreciated for all their hard work and dedication and their invaluable contribution to society and how they improve their lives and the lives of others around them,” said Schippers.