Eastern Equatoria State Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare is appealing to women to advocate for change in their various communities, to transform South Sudanese lifestyle.
Director General Idwa Dominica’s call comes after three days’ training on capacity building on advocacy organized by UNMISS’ Gender Unit.
She calls on women to transform their communities from child compensation and forced marriages among others.
“You are now the ambassadors, and when you are going to the community, do whatever is necessary to help your community to bring up your community. You are the change in the community, talk in your different languages. The girl child compensation for example, what do we do? They are still compensating up to date. Talk to your people in your own language, the disadvantages, the consequences, all these ways of advocacy can open a way for us to talk a lot to our community and to change our community, the mentality of our people. Now you will be able to know exactly what is the issue am going to advocate for? And how will I advocate it?”
Dominica appeals to men who are activists, to help advocate for women’s rights in South Sudan.
“Our men, you also advocate for us, a woman is a mother of the nation and the woman is the nation herself and a woman is a mentor, a woman is the builder of the nation, then if you don’t support the women, then we shall not be making this country to go ahead because we are oppress, you want to talk, that keep quit, you are just a woman, then how will this country progress, support us men, especially men in civil society please the thirty five percent at least should be covered”.
The training brought together forty participants from Women Peace Building, Activists, government representatives, NGOs, and CBOs.
Director Dominica made the statement during the closing day of the training at the Women’s center in Torit.