South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Jenifer James
The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) has launched a local gender forum in Juba, designed to highlight and address the economic challenges faced by women in business throughout the country.
The event gathered women entrepreneurs from various sectors, members of the Central Equatoria State Legislative Assembly, representatives from Juba City Council, and civil society groups. The forum provided a platform for open dialogue about the economic barriers that hinder women’s participation and growth in business.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Flora Lukudu, a representative of SIHA, said the forum was designed to give women a platform to share their challenges and seek solutions in collaboration with local authorities and lawmakers.
“This is a local gender forum that has brought together women from the business community, including small-scale vendors, local authorities, and civil society organisations,” Flora said.
“The aim is to create a platform where women can openly discuss the economic barriers they face, share strategies for growth, and engage in dialogue around inclusive policy development.”
Participants raised concerns over increasing taxation, lack of support for small businesses, and the dominance of foreign traders in local retail sectors.
“Some women have been forced to close their businesses because they are not receiving any support,” Flora explained.
“They also reported that Juba City Council imposes multiple taxes, which places a heavy burden on small vendors.
These demands are often too high, making it hard for women to sustain their businesses.”
Flora further emphasised that many women are working in unsafe environments due to economic hardship.
“Because of survival needs, some women are operating their businesses in football fields until 3 a.m., and others stay there overnight, This raises concerns about safety and exploitation, particularly of young women who are vulnerable to economic and even physical abuse.”
Flora pointed out that foreign-owned shops have increasingly replaced local women in key retail spaces.
“Even in residential areas, it’s mostly foreigners running shops,” she said. “This becomes a threat to women’s economic empowerment because the business environment is not conducive for local women. There are too many demands placed on them.”
The forum is part of SIHA’s broader “We Cannot Wait” project, which focuses on advocacy and policy change to support gender equality in economic spaces.
“Our next step is to work closely with advocacy groups under the We Cannot Wait initiative to push for laws and policies that protect and support women in business,” Flora said. “We hope the outcomes from this forum will lead to tangible policy reforms.”
Meanwhile, Suzan Sadia John, a local fashion designer, said the tax burden has become unsustainable.
“We’re paying so many fees: ground rate, garbage collection, security, revenue authority—it’s too much,” she said. “When you fail to pay, they lock your shop. We need the city council to reduce the taxes and consider what small businesses are actually earning.”
Willa Lucia, who runs a dry-cleaning business in Juba, described the experience as “financially draining,” explaining how taxes often consume her entire income.
“I pay SSP 45,000 just for garbage collection, and when my business grew a little, I was charged over SSP 280,000 by the revenue authority,” she said. “My licence alone cost SSP 1.2 million for a small dry cleaner.”
Lucia also criticised the practice of locking businesses with padlocks when fees aren’t paid on time.
“They put up to four padlocks on your shop, each costing SSP 20,000 to remove,” she said. “On top of high taxes and rent, this leaves us with nothing. No savings, no support for our families, and often we’re forced into debt just to stay in business.”
She urged the government to simplify and standardise the taxation system and improve communication with small businesses.
“We’re not against paying taxes, but they should be reasonable, There’s no transparency; no posted fee structures. Each official quotes a different amount, and you end up negotiating like it’s a market,we need a system that tells us clearly what we owe so we can prepare for it.”
SIHA’s local gender forum is expected to continue engaging stakeholders and pushing for practical reforms to create a more inclusive and supportive business environment for women in South Sudan.
