VOX POP : Women Rights Defenders Call for Greater Inclusion of Women in South Sudan Politics

(YEI RIVER COUNTY) – Women rights defenders and civil society activists in Yei River County are calling on political leaders and stakeholders to ensure greater participation and representation of women in politics and leadership as South Sudan prepares for its anticipated general elections later this year.

The activists argue that although the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement provides for a 35 per cent affirmative action quota for women, its implementation has remained limited at local, state and national levels, leaving many women excluded from decision-making processes.

Speaking to Access Radio on Wednesday afternoon, Modi Arkangelo, Programme Field Officer for the Centre for Inclusive Governance, Peace and Justice (CIGPJ) and Chairperson of the Yei Civil Society Forum, said women continue to face barriers to leadership despite ongoing efforts to promote gender equality.

“We have capable women who can lead and participate in governance. As the country prepares for elections, we want women to organise themselves and compete equally with men. However, they are often not given the opportunity to participate fully in leadership and decision-making processes,” Arkangelo said.

He urged women leaders across different sectors to unite and advocate for their rights, stressing that increased female participation in leadership would contribute to good governance and national development.

“As men, we need to support women. If the elections take place, we want to see women participating without intimidation because when women rise, men rise, and when women rise, society rises,” he added.

Alice Siya Mama, Chairperson of the Yei River County Women’s Association, called on female parliamentarians and leaders to champion women’s political participation and ensure that women’s voices are heard throughout the electoral process.

“Governance should not be left only to men. Women are capable of leading this country, and we need to know how they will be represented during the elections. Our voices must be represented from the payam and county levels to the state and national levels,” she said.

Meanwhile, Juma David, a representative of the grassroots organisation Women for Change, urged the government and election stakeholders to guarantee equal opportunities for women to contest and participate in political processes.

“We want women’s voices to be heard and their rights respected. Women have the ability to lead, and they should be given equal opportunities to participate alongside men during the election process,” David said.

Similarly, Goro Grace, a women’s rights defender working with Special Action for Life Transformation (SALT), encouraged women to prepare themselves to take part actively in the elections, both as voters and candidates.

“We want our voices to be represented. The 35 per cent affirmative action should be visible in the political space, but this is not happening because many women are either not informed or not involved in decision-making. As people prepare to vote, women should also prepare themselves to stand for leadership positions and compete equally with men,” Grace said.

She added that her organisation, together with other women-focused groups, is committed to supporting and preparing more women for leadership roles through civic education, media engagement, and community awareness initiatives.

The calls come amid growing advocacy efforts across South Sudan to increase women’s political representation and strengthen the implementation of gender commitments outlined in the country’s peace agreement. Activists say meaningful participation of women in politics is essential for promoting democracy, peace and inclusive development in the world’s youngest nation.