Report immediately cases of gender-based violence to authorities without fear, Deputy Governor of Yei River State tells the public.
Augustino Kiri Gwolo advises women not to keep silent but speak out on abuses against their rights, Radio Easter reports.
He decries that many cases of gender-based violence in communities are not reported due to fear.
The Deputy Governor says a sustainable peace is needed to reduce or end acts of gender-based violence in the communities.
Kiri stresses the need for massive awareness campaigns to sensitize people on cases amounting to gender violence and its dangers.
Yei County Women Association representative Charity Dudu says they were raising awareness of rural people on human rights, school dropout, early and forced marriages, women harassment and rape.
The awareness has led to decline in cases of gender-based violence, she adds.
Dudu says their efforts to continue with the initiative in the community stopped due to lack of support.
The leaders were speaking during the closure of the sixteen days of activism against gender-based violence at Yei Freedom Square on Saturday.