Women’s Right Groups Push for Action on Anti-GBV Bill

By Simon Deng

The Women’s rights organizations on Wednesday are renewing calls for authorities to accelerate the passage of the long-delayed Anti-Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Bill, saying stronger legal protections are urgently needed to improve women’s access to justice.

Speaking during four-day consultative workshop in Juba, Josephine Chandiru, Executive Director of Global Voices Organization (GVO), said the legislation aims to bridge information gaps and build consensus on concrete actions to advance legal reforms.

“The first key to solving an issue is understanding the issue. We need to come together as a dedicated network or coalition with a strong voice to push for the enactment of the Anti-GBV Bill,” Chandiru said.

“The temporary absence of a functioning parliament should not stop stakeholders from continuing their work on legal reforms, the parliament will eventually resume work,” said, Chandiru.

The consultative workshop aimed to review progress made and challenges facing the Anti-Gender-Based Violence (Anti-GBV) Bill, the Maputo Protocol and the Family Law Bill.

The four-day symposium was held under the “Justice for Her” campaign and organized by Global Voices Organization South Sudan in collaboration with Equality Now and the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare.

The initiative seeks to strengthen women’s access to justice, with a particular focus on young women.

Chandiru said the symposium focused on developing common advocacy messages and clear demands for the government, parliament and other stakeholders to strengthen women’s rights and access to justice in South Sudan.

“We have identified limited funding and civil society organizations working in silos as key challenges affecting advocacy efforts, we must seek to strengthen access to justice for women,” she said.

She urged authorities to keep citizens informed about the progress of the Anti-GBV Bill and the challenges delaying its advancement, noting that the bill is currently before the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

Chandiru revealed that community focal persons and referral pathways help connect survivors with health facilities, police, legal aid providers and psychosocial support services.

She added that Global Voices Organization offers survivors free legal advice, counselling and legal representation.

“The communities need to help survivors understand their rights and available services, the best way of helping a person is to show them where to go, survivors of gender-based violence must report barriers that prevent reporting abuse and accessing services.”