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South Sudan calls for an end of violence against women and early marriage

March 8, 2013 (BOR) – Hundreds South Sudanese citizens and political leaders converged on Bor, the capital of Jonglei state, to celebrate International Women’s Day on Friday, where speakers called for early marriage and violence against women to end world’s youngest country.

Women leaders, from the left, Angilina Teny, the wife of South Sudan's Vice President Riek Machar, Rebecca Nyandeng, Presidential Adviser on gender and human rights, among others saluting women and men in Bor's Freedom Square, March 8, 2013 (ST)
Women leaders, from the left, Angilina Teny, the wife of South Sudan’s Vice President Riek Machar, Rebecca Nyandeng, Presidential Adviser on gender and human rights, among others saluting women and men in Bor’s Freedom Square, March 8, 2013 (ST)

Women from the army, police, prison services and fire brigade were joined by women farmers’ groups and businesswomen to march in Bor’s freedom square to welcome the guest of honour, Rebecca Nyandeng, the advisor on gender and human rights to South Sudan’s president.

South Sudanese singers, including Mary Boyoy, from the Murle tribe and Tarifa Pathay from the Lou Nuer group sang songs promoting unity between South Sudan’s many tribes.

Primary school pupils recited a poem, asking society not to look at women only as a source of wealth or producers of children. Families often marry girls off at a young age as they benefit from the tradition of bride prices. The children’s poem said that behind each powerful leader is a powerful woman.

Addressing the ceremony in Bor, Nyandeng, called up on South Sudanese families and communities to respects women, acknowledging that “our fellow women are still suffering in the villages, fetching water [over a] long distance”.

South Sudan's presidential advisor on gender, Rebecca Nyandeng, addressing the gathering for International Women's Day in Bor, Jonglei State, March 8, 2013 (ST)
South Sudan’s presidential advisor on gender, Rebecca Nyandeng, addressing the gathering for International Women’s Day in Bor, Jonglei State, March 8, 2013 (ST)

Nyandeng is the widow of John Garang, the former leader of the SPLM/SPLA rebels who have governed South Sudan since 2005. She said the government was not doing enough, for reasons she did not explain, to “bring town to people”.

The policy of bringing services to the rural population was the vision of her late husband, who was the president of the autonomous region of South Sudan and First Vice President at the time of his death in a helicopter crash in mid-2005.

Nyandeng called for more women’s participation in all walks of life both in the state and national government.

“We, the women, let us help our families by contributing to the family budget. If you don’t have anything [money] of your own, the husbands will be rough every time you ask them to give you more money to buy food. That is why they say ‘what about that money I gave you, how did you finish it?’ We must not be receivers but producers of wealth”, she added.

The gender and human rights advisor said that sending more girls to schools will help to reduce the gap between men and women in the new country.

However, she denounced the state’s schools in rural areas, calling on communities to rebuild village schools with local materials.

“Today’s school structures are discouraging, when children come to schools, they cannot see the differences between home and the school. This makes some children to go back home just to play”, she told the crowd.

Jonglei state women entertain guests of honour in Bor on International Women's Day, March 8, 2013 (ST)
Jonglei state women entertain guests of honour in Bor on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2013 (ST)

She also encouraged the women to invest in agriculture so it can become a source of income.

“Look at me, I came from Juba to my farm, removed all the bangles and everything and cultivated for three months in my farm. I harvested over 1,000 bags which gave me about 400,000 [South Sudanese] Pounds”, she said.

“This is greater than my annual pay as the advisor to the president. If you do the same, you will be rich quickly.”

Jonglei’s minister of gender, child and social welfare, Rachael Anok, said that there is nothing wrong with pupils attending their classes under trees.

“I was taught in a grass-roofed class, and now I am the minister”, she told the celebrators.

The state governor of Jonglei, Kuol Manyang Juuk, criticised used the event to denounce the South Sudanese cultural practices, such as early marriage, that prevent girls from completing their education. He calling on parents to treat both boys and girls equally as this was the reason for the wide gap in literacy rates.

“During the war, the SPLA leadership took all the boys to Ethiopia and Kenya to get better learning opportunities but girls remained with their mothers at home. Those who went to other places got good education”, he said.

Female members of Bor's security services march to celebrate international women's day in Jonglei state, March 8, 2013 (ST)
Female members of Bor’s security services march to celebrate international women’s day in Jonglei state, March 8, 2013 (ST)

Men are the main cause of domestic violence in South Sudan, the governor said, adding that some men believe that beating women is the best way of disciplining them.

“Violence is not the best way of problem solving, but worsens the situation”, he continued.

South Sudan’s minister of gender, child and social welfare, Agnes Kwaje Lasuba, while addressing the public during the celebration, urged the public to avoid gender related violence.

She said that girls should not be allowed to marry before before the age of eighteen and urged parents to stop forced marriages. Girls are used as tools to get wealth by their parents, the minister said.

South Sudan's minister of gender and social welfare, Agnes Kwaje Lasuba, addressing the gathering celebrating in Bor, Jonglei State March 8, 2013 (ST)
South Sudan’s minister of gender and social welfare, Agnes Kwaje Lasuba, addressing the gathering celebrating in Bor, Jonglei State March 8, 2013 (ST)

President Salva Kiir’s message, as read by his advisor on gender in Bor, assured Jonglei citizens that the South Sudan government has not forgotten the plight of women in the conflict affected state.

“We have enough forces in Jonglei to make sure that peace comes back soon”, said the president in his message.

The president asked the community to abolish cultures that encourage early marriage and urged for women to empower themselves by sending girls to school, in order to fulfill achieve the UN’s millennium goals, which aim for all children to be completing primary school by 2015 .

MEN COOK FOR WOMEN IN TWIC EAST

Twic East celebrated International Women’s Day by men cooking for women, the county commissioner Dau Akoi told Sudan Tribune from his headquarters in Panyagoor.

Many South Sudanese men refuse to do house work such as cooking, fetching water or any work that has traditionally been assigned to women in the household. Last year the Jonglei governor said he planned to outlaw laziness by banning men from playing games under trees to encourage them to cultivate the country’s vast fertile lands.

Women groups in Twic East performed dramas discouraging early marriage, which is often associated with South Sudan’s high maternal mortality rate. They also argued that girls would be unable to care for their own children before the age of 18.

(ST)

International Women’s Day 2013

Coverage relating to Sudan and South Sudan around international women’s day.

Storified by Sudan Tribune· Fri, Mar 08 2013 13:06:16

South Sudan began celebrating International Women’s day on Tuesday when the country’s second lady called for women to be given 50% of government positions.
South Sudan women urged to play larger role in politicsSudan Tribune
South Sudan’s second lady urges women to push for affirmative action – Sudan Tribune: Plural news and views on Sudan http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article45735Richard Ruati
The UN has used the annual celebration to urge for the end of Violence Against Women.
Violence against women – Navi Pillay the UN High Commissioner for #HumanRights http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article45742 @womensday @Women_on_IWD @UNWomenWatchSudan Tribune
International Women’s Day 2013 – Message from UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bacheletunwomen
South Sudan has the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. This MSF video shows what is being done to address the problem through the story of one women in Northern Bahr el Ghazal.
International Women’s Day: Obstetric care in South Sudanmsfaustralia
Human Rights Watch marked the day by calling for an end to forced marriage of girls in South Sudan.
Child Marriage: South Sudanhumanrightswatch
Happy International Women’s Day – Stunning photographs highlight the need to end #childmarriage http://bit.ly/13JASkoHuman Rights Watch
South Sudan: End widespread child marriage – Sudan Tribune http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article45754Janet Walsh

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in South Sudan called the empowerment of  the women in the world’s youngest nation.

Empower the Women of the World’s Youngest Nation — South SudanIn the world’s newest nation, South Sudan, women and girls are confronted with the formidable challenges of daily life: child marriage, g…
Happy International Women’s Day from PESS! Check out this article on the status of women and girls in South… http://fb.me/M1LrjIfQProject Educ Sudan
International Women's Day, 8 MarchThis year's theme for International Women's Day, “A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women” seeks …
South Sudanese civil society asked that the next Secretary General of the UN be a women.
S. Sudan activists launch campaign for female UN chief – Sudan Tribune: Plural news and views on SudanMarch 8, 2013 (JUBA) – As the world commemorates International Women Day on 8 March, a South Sudanese civil society organisation calls on…
One of the biggest celebrations in South Sudan was in Jonglei state. Here are photos from ST’s Bor correspondent:
South Sudan leaders celebrate International Women’s Day 2013Sudan Tribune
Youth entertain guest in BorSudan Tribune
Rebecca Nyandeng addresses the crowd in Bor to celebrate International Women’s DaySudan Tribune
South Sudan’s gender minister speaks on International Women’s Day 2013Sudan Tribune
Bor security services march to celebrate international women’s daySudan Tribune
And finally… some footage from 2011.
international women’s day-south Sudan video 3mymajack

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