South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
The Program Assistant at the National Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare Joyce Ayoub,, has emphasised the need to empower women financially, educationally, and politically.
Speaking at the opening of the Women, Peace and Security Conference in Juba on Monday, held under the theme “From Policy to Power,” Ayoub stated that true equality can only be achieved when women have equal opportunities to influence change.
“We need to empower women financially, educationally, and politically. If a woman is not empowered in these areas, she may lack the potential to influence change. We cannot achieve equality if we are not standing in the same shoes,” Ayoub remarked.
She highlighted the presence of women in uniform and women in leadership but questioned what more can be achieved. “Are women participating at all levels of government institutions? We must now move from policy to empowerment.”
Modi Mbaraza, the Executive Director of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) South Sudan, urged women leaders, civil society actors, and policymakers to move beyond written commitments and translate the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda into practical actions.
Mbaraza praised the 35% affirmative action policy for women’s representation as a significant milestone but challenged participants to go beyond numbers and advocate for meaningful participation.
“We talk about the 35% affirmative action, which is a positive move for women’s participation in decision-making. The Women, Peace, and Security agenda is crucial for us as women in South Sudan,” Mbaraza stated.
Sharon Mairyunu, the Gender and Protection Coordinator at Oxfam South Sudan Country Office, reaffirmed Oxfam’s commitment to supporting women’s rights organisations and advancing the Women, Peace, and Security agenda.
“As Oxfam, we are excited to be part of this important conversation. This is a good time to reflect on what has been achieved and what still needs to be done. However, we must be honest about what really needs to change,” said Mairyunu.
Mairyunu emphasised that gender-based violence (GBV), including emerging forms such as digital gender-based violence, continues to hinder women’s participation and must be addressed for the WPS agenda to succeed.
“As long as we continue to tolerate gender-based violence and fail to commit to legal instruments addressing it, it becomes too difficult to advance the Women, Peace, and Security agenda,” she warned.
The conference was organised by YWCA South Sudan in partnership with Oxfam and the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, providing a platform for stakeholders to evaluate the country’s progress and chart a collective way forward for inclusive peace and development.
The event brought together women-led organisations, international partners, and government representatives to assess progress, share lessons, and identify actions needed to strengthen women’s roles in peacebuilding and decision-making.
