The situation of women in the new Republic of South Sudan is still dire and marred by inadequate information to clearly understand their rights.
Jesuit Relief Service Assistant Pastoral Coordinator Antonia Geyr said in her report to the Yei annual diocesan meeting that women still face a number of problems including girl child education programs and underrepresentation at all levels and their rights are not respected.She added that the Church is a part of social life and should play a leading role in advocating for the rights of women in South Sudan.
Ms Geyr said the Church has organized many activities for women such as the Catholic Action group, Elderly Women group but these groups have not registered and do not have their own constitutions.
She added that there is need to organize the women’s groups to fulfil the spiritual and pastoral needs of women including vocational training.
Ms Geyr said efforts are being made to give some life sustaining trainings like tailoring, microloans, and project proposal writing to collect support for some of the women’s activities.
Alice Awowa, who leads a women’s group in Tore parish, said women’s groups are in darkness and need to be shown the way to perform well.