“Don’t stop your girl from joining the military” – South Sudan People’s Defense Forces Women’s Network launched in Juba, South Sudan

The Women’s Network for South Sudan People’s Defense Forces was launched on 4th of July 2022 in Juba, South Sudan, with the support from the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund and as a collaboration between the Ministry of Defense and Veteran Affairs, Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, UN Women, UNDP and UNMISS. The network does not only aim at bringing women in the defense forces together, but also allows them to advocate for better positions within the security sector and better realize their rights to gender equality

Women play an important role in the security sector and have a positive effect in security operations through community engagement, mentoring, setting good examples and helping prevent and respond to gender-based violence. Increasing the number of women in the security sector is critical for empowering women in communities and addressing specific needs of women and girls in conflict and post-conflict settings. Having more women working in security also contributes to making the security sector more approachable to women in the community, such as exemplified in relation to survivors of gender-based violence and helps to reduce conflict and confrontation.

Speaking at the launch event, Ms. Gizem Yurtseven, UN Women South Sudan Country Office’s Rule of Law Officer said, “Despite of the known benefits, women in security sector are often given less value than men. I have heard from women who are in the room today that when men are present with similar ranks, women are no longer allowed to do the work they were doing before. They are suddenly bringing tea and doing administrative work, although they are very capable of performing professionally as well as men. There is still a lot to be done. With the Women’s Network that we launched today the women are taking one step further in advocating for their own rights”.

Lieutenant Colonel Harriet Fouzia Ginaba, a representative of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces who also spoke at the launch event, called for women’s inclusion in the security sector. She highlighted that women are peacemakers and can solve issues without guns by using their words. She wished South Sudanese women would be able to have the same positions in the security sector that men have. “Now if I want to ask myself, how many women chiefs [are there] in South Sudan? None. So, let men [allow women to] try. Because for them to work alone is not good. Let us [women and men] work together”, she continued.  

Women in uniform also act as role models in the local environment, inspiring other women, and girls in often male-dominated societies to push for their own rights and participation in peace processes. Lt. Col. Fouzia Ginaba, one of the role moles, had a very clear message for the people of South Sudan, “Don’t stop your girl from joining the military. Don’t stop your wife from joining the military. They are the future of South Sudan. Let them come and join.”

The launch of the women’s network will be followed by a human rights training. The training, which the women in the security sector requested, focuses on increasing awareness of the applicable human rights laws, as well as the members’ responsibilities, rights and obligations as uniformed personnel. Similar launches of women’s networks and human rights trainings will be organized for South Sudan Prisons Services (SSPS) and South Sudan National Police Services (SSNPS).

UN Women and UNDP, with UNMISS as a technical partner, are supporting gender mainstreaming in security sector reform processes in South Sudan under a project funded by the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund.