UN Women South Sudan's International Women's Day 2024 commemoration
Date:
Invest, Inspire, Empower, Transform: UN Women South Sudan's IWD 2024 Celebrations
In the heart of Mundri, Western Equatoria, South Sudan, International Women's Day 2024 unfolded not just as a day of celebration but as a beacon of empowerment and resilience. Under the theme "Invest in Women, Accelerated Progress," and a national theme “ Accelerate Gender Equality through inclusion and access to productive resources for women and girls” UN Women South Sudan, in collaboration with Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, UNICEF, FAO, UNFPA, WFP and UNEP orchestrated an eventful day that celebrated the spirit of resilience and empowerment that women embody but also laid the groundwork for meaningful inclusion, participation, positive change and empowerment in the lives of South Sudanese women.
A marathon was organized on March 9, 2024, by UN Women in South Sudan that saw participation from UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, WHO, UNHCR, UNESCO UN and private sector led by ECOBANK symbolizing unity, strength, and the collective journey towards gender equality. This physical embodiment of solidarity set the stage for further engagements. Highlighting the collaborative efforts of UN agencies in South Sudan, the Deputy Country Representative, Rukaya Mohammed of UN Women added, "Our unity in action today, alongside UN agencies and private sector underscores our collective commitment to not only uplift the women of South Sudan but also to ensure their voices lead the charge in our journey towards peace and equality." The UN Resident Coordinator, Anita Kiki Gbeho said, “we are reminded of the imperative to accelerate gender inclusion and ensure women's access to productive resources. The UN remains committed to working hand in hand with South Sudan to foster peace, development, and provide vital humanitarian assistance. Today serves as a poignant reminder that women must be at the forefront of our collective endeavours”.
The 1st ever Ring the Bell for Gender Equality 2024 event organized on March 11, 2024, brought together a diverse actor representing UN Women, WFP, AfDB the South Sudan National Chamber of Commerce, women-owned enterprises, the banking sector, and mobile money institutions. A lively panel discussion and Q&A session were centered on addressing challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in South Sudan and the opportunities offered by the private sector. The event culminated in a symbolic "Ring the Bell for Gender Equality" moment, highlighted the collective commitment to advancing gender equality and the pivotal role that the private sector plays. It also offered the opportunity for women entrepreneurs to exhibit their products.
A panel discussion was organized on March 15, 2024, on “Empowering Women through Gender Responsive Financing” (GRF) focusing on unsung heroes and the pivotal role of financing in unlocking women’s economic empowerment Esteemed panelists, including government and local leaders, activists, and experts, shared their insights on the challenges and opportunities in advancing women's empowerment and gender equality. Insights from the panel members are as below:
Awut Mayom, an entrepreneur and panelist, highlighted the importance of financial independence for women, “Empowering women is crucial, but we must also engage men to support their financial independence. Dependency on men causes issues at home, from basic needs to education for kids. True empowerment means men accepting and supporting empowered women.”
The discussion also explored the impact of education and health initiatives, as shared by Aguet Garang, a professional nurse and panelist. “My journey wasn't easy, but I stood strong, drawing on the resilience and knowledge I gained. This experience reaffirmed my belief in empowering grassroots women with health education, teaching them to combat common diseases, and ensuring their children's education.”
Rukaya Mohammed, Deputy Country Representative UN Women South Sudan, elaborated on the multifaceted approach employed by UN Women in South Sudan towards enhancing Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment. She emphasized UN Women's involvement in various areas such as governance, leadership, political participation, women's economic empowerment, Eliminating Violence Against Women (EVAW), and peace and security humanitarian actions.
A two-day photo exhibition (March 20-21, 2024) titled "Through Our Eyes: The Women’s Journey of peace-building, leadership, and participation in South Sudan" further enriched the celebrations. Supported by the Peace Building Fund and the Government of Norway, the exhibition featured 100 compelling images that captured the essence of women's political participation and peacebuilding efforts from 2010 to 2024.
The event featured insightful panel discussions, and brought together prominent women leaders, members of the diplomatic corps, the UN system, alongside young peace-builders, to explore historical and socio-political perspectives on peace-building while charting strategies for a sustainable future.
The HE Ambassador of Norway Ms. Linken Nymann Berryman Stated that “March shines a spotlight on the strength and resilience of women worldwide, especially in South Sudan. Women’s, Peace and Security remains a priority for Norway’s engagement in South Sudan and underscores out commitment to democracy and human rights. Women should be recognized as a critical link specially in the potential role they have in conflict prevention, conflict management, and post-conflict reconstruction”.
Honorable Minister of Peace-building South Sudan, Mr. Stephen Par, emphasized, “History has proven that oppressors do not recognize that they are oppressing, people who have been oppressed for a long time always oppressed themselves, we can still push for the political leadership of women”.
This month, these discussions, and the unity witnessed are but steps on the journey towards inclusion and gender equality in South Sudan. The IWD theme was crucial for South Sudan as it brought focus on investing in women. Despite women being the majority in South Sudan Less than 4% of women have bank accounts or access financial institutions. Women have limited access to education, employment and underrepresented in leadership and politics. Collective efforts by all stakeholders to empower women in South Sudan as we prepare for the upcoming elections is critical and timely.