By: Ginaba Lino
The Authority in Wulu County of Lake State have implemented the 35% Affirmative Action by appointing 3 female Chiefs at Payam Court of Wulu County and 2 in the office of County Commissioner through the ongoing advocacy carried by Oxfam South Sudan.
Speaking to Catholic Radio Network, one of the female Chief in the Payam Court of Wulu County Joyce Mbolo Agac said they got the opportunity of being appointed as Chives came after Oxfam carried out and advocacy training to include for women in leadership.
“Our being here as Chiefs in the Payam court came through the advocacy of Oxfam, there was a lady called Monica Jok from Oxfam who organized a workshop, and she said in anything coming to Wulu County like meeting, training, or workshop, there should be women should be considered in leadership to enable responsibility sharing so at every activities of Oxfam in Wulu County, they always talk about gender balance and that is why our County authority decided to bring female Chiefs to the Payam Court” she added.
Chief Joyce stated that before, women had no power, but after Oxfam started to advocate for gender equality, they were considered in the position of Chief in Payam Court of Wulu County.
“We have changes now in the court because before only men were the one to judge in the court, but now we are able to resolve domestic issues and cases of suicides at the court, we are able to judge these cases because of the empowerment we got,” Mbolo explained.
She highlights the significant effort of women in some positions, citing that now their voices are considered when it comes to judgement in court.
Joyce stressed that they are facing challenges of salary and transport because they live in a far area, adding that it’s very hard for them to work without salary.
“Our major challenge here is some of us do not have salary, and we live very far in the community, making it difficult to come and perform our duties at the court. Also, sometimes a case can take the whole day and yet there is no provision for lunch or even drinking water this is very difficult for us. As you can see at our court, we don’t have chairs or benches or even a building to accommodate us while we work.”
She described Oxfam Organization as mother a changing life of the marginalized Community of Wulu County.
Another chief Assunta Puli Brown said her role in the Payam Court is address some issues that affects women and girls who are forced to marry.
Chief Puli said, one of her break-through that led to her appointment as chief was when she spoke about gender base violence during workshop organized by Oxfam’s to discuss issues affecting women and girls in the County of Wulu.
“There was a time when Oxfam came with the project dealing with gender base violence issues, and I was one of the participants. So, during that workshop, I talked very clear about the issues of women, so the paramount chief immediately identified me among the participants to appointed me as a chief.”
She explained that when women and girls are brought to court, they can speak without fear because they talk to their fellow female at the court.
The female chief calls on Oxfam to continue supporting women with capacity building and support them how they can carry awareness in remote areas.
Susan Nyikquer the press secretary in the office of the commissioner of Wulu County said the position she got lucky because of the extensive work done by Oxfam advocating for women representation in leadership.
Nyikquer appreciated Oxfam for changing lives of the vulnerable communities of Wulu that has given opportunities for women to take up leadership roles.
The Executive Director of Wulu County Abednego Digur Makuac says he employed about 4 female administrators in 2022 and the appointment came through the advocacy of BMZ implemented by Oxfam.
“I brought in about 3 to 4 female administrators in 2022, you know this initiative came through the advocacy program by Oxfam, and DARD in Wulu County. With the directives of my minister of local government and law enforcement after the governance training, he asked us to consider power sharing to recognize the 35% affirmative Action,” The executive director emphasized.
Makuac explained that in 2022, he appointed a woman as the director of establishment in the County of Wulu, also appointed another one as the director of public health, another appointment of a woman was in Domoloto Payam as Boma administrator, and one woman is in paramount Chief Court, one in regional Court of Wulu Payam, and in Domoloto as sub-Chief.
He added that the government has established women association in 2023, so that it will be easier to identify women who can be selected to participate into different department and the County council meetings.
The Executive Director highlighted that his administration will continue to do it’s best to ensure women representation in leadership in the rest of the Payam and Bomas.