Africa-Press – South-Sudan. By Hassan Arun Cosmas
The Centre for Inclusive Governance, Peace and Justice or CIGPJ with support from CARE international, has concluded a one-day community engagement dialogue on transforming social norms against women in Yei River County, Central Equatoria State.
The forum aimed at breaking barriers that prevent women’s participation in socio-economic, political and education sectors. Other objectives of the dialogue include finding out some of the negative social norms existing in communities against women in South Sudan and particularly in Yei County.
Speaking during the opening session Simon KhamisMabe, CIGPJ program officer for gender mainstreaming, called on women to rise in all aspects of leadership in society.
“This training is awareness so that the twenty-five participants can go back and share the knowledge with their communities. We are targeting the women leaders in the communities, government schools, and faith-based organizations to ensure that they get the necessary skills and knowledge that can make them rise politically, economically, and in every aspect in society. We want to ensure that they become leaders in their families as well as community,” commented Simon.
One of the participants, Medina Kiden called for women’s involvement in decision makings at all level to strengthen their leadership capacity. She urges the government to consider the 35%women representation in all systems of governance.
She reminded women leaders at the national level to visit fellow women at the grassroots levels share with them and gain support in the upcoming elections.
“In the resolution passed here, I would like to commend that in terms of cultural norms, if there are family issues, women should be given the opportunity to share together with the men both those women married and the daughters of the family. It is claimed that women are said to be given the opportunity but they are still oppressed,” she said.
“Our women who are serving in the government should also visit us at least after every three months so that they brief us on what is taking place in the system because that is where we get information,” added Kiden.
Meanwhile, Yei River County Inspector on Gender, Emma Meling Charles encouraged the participants to carry out advocacy on gender mainstreaming in the communities. She urged for more capacity building from the partners by extending the training to all payams and bomas of Yei River County.
“WhatI wants to say is that such training strengthens and build the capacity of women. Today the government and its partners look after women and we need to stand up.
“Women sometimes rejects opportunity because of fear of responsibility, let us be willing to accept any offer for a position you will be given whether by the government or any institution.
“To the organization that organized for this training, I request that similar courses should be extended to the women in the rural areas,” requested the gender inspector. The training targeted twenty-five participants from traditional and faith-based leaders, women groups and informal powers.
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