Forty women leaders from different political parties and civil society coalitions were trained in leadership, lobbying, and advocacy on the electoral process in Torit of Eastern Equatoria State.
This came as the country is preparing to conduct first first-ever election in December although other parties have not yet agreed on the process.
Ms. Yange Annet, an officer from Women Partners for Health encourages the participants to take part fully in the forthcoming national elections.
She further calls on women to be united to compete in the anticipated forthcoming general elections in December 2024.
“Women should participate fully in this election that is coming, they need to be united, they need to put their hands together so that they can be able to make up for the elections because many women are left behind,” he said.
“Most women are not educated but they can be to raise the point that can lead the country. We train over forty-two women.”
A participant during the training, Lina Akol Mardadi stated that for women to rise there is a need for massive awareness of the importance of women in governance.
“For women to come out it needs awareness, it needs people to talk much about women. We have very good women, but they are not encouraged, so it is very important for people to make assessments in villages of women who are not educated.”
The facilitator, Sarah Abeja Jackson encourages women to stand and be voted during the upcoming elections. She calls on women to promote peace before and during elections.
“You speak the thing that people will know that you can vote. I beg you as mothers, as sisters can you promote peace before, during, and after elections, can you bring peace during elections because peaceful relations will bring peace, let us peacefully do things.”
The Director for Administration and Finance in the State Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare Santo Otong Banya hinted that there is a need for change by involving women in governance
He added that 35% affirmation of women is not fully implemented while calling on the entire women to form women coalitions to advocate for the rights of women
There are changes in the lives of women, I picked some titles that women have, but those titles were not there, they were denied to them. I heard chair ladies are there, I heard sub-chiefs from women and our fighting is to change the life of women.”
“You see representation of women in governance 35% affirmative action is not fulfill because women were sleeping during the signing of R-ARCISS, so people came back to constitute.
“The government in Juba men were not sleeping, a lot of things are talked about at night and women are already sleeping but men are working because those positions they divide among themselves and neglect women.
This is the right time for you to be voted there is no more whispering down there.”