EES Government Vows To End Gender-Based Violence

This article was last updated on May 26, 2022

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Celebrated under the theme: ‘Promote Peace At Home: Stop violence against women and girls’, the Day attracted hundreds of women, young girls and boys and school children from different schools.

They carried placards with key messages as they were joined by state leaders and UN representatives to commemorate the day.

The event’s Guest Speaker, Deputy Governor Jerome Gama Surur said working together for the elimination of gender-based violence and promotion of girl child education is and must remain key priority of all the stakeholders in the state.

“We the government never tolerate marrying young girls at the expense of their education. They are supposed to go to school to have a bright future,” he said.

The State Gender Minister Paska Hifita Oduho welcomed the celebrants and thanked them (UNMISS, State officials and other partners) for coming to mark days of activism and the launch of prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse campaign in the state.

“I thank members of the Government of South Sudan (Line Ministries), UNMISS, UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes, International and National NGOs and the Civil Society Organizations for their tireless effort   to make the image of our State known to the outside world through this campaign,” she said.  “Indeed, this is a global outcry and South Sudan being the newest state is not exceptional.”

Hon. Hifita said whereas, the State Government cannot deny the prevailing sexual exploitation and abuse commonly reported, it strongly condemns such acts.

“We call it a mockery of justice to vulnerable ones. Our young school girls and women/mothers are the victims of such mockery in the community. It is worth mentioning some of the forms of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse commonly practiced here in our State and these include among others rape, early or forced marriage, girl child compensation, Gender Based Violence, to mention but a few,”  she said.

She pledged the commitment of the ministry to put in place gender policy that will lead to positive results in a favour of women and girls in the country.

UNMISS’ Coordinator in EES Ms Hiroko Hirahara Mosko called for joint efforts to fight and end violence against women and young girls in the community. She   assured people of UN’s continued support to assist in the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence.

As mandated by the Security Council and together with other partners, UNMISS is building the capacity of state level institutions to monitor, investigate and report incidents of conflict-related sexual violence. Through the active engagement of Women Protection Advisors, UNMISS is also reporting on such violations to the Security Council.

The acting Director General of the State Ministry of Social Development and Culture, Simon Auwas Pidomoe said implementing his Ministry’s policy to end violence against vulnerable groups has been a challenge.

Millions of women and girls around the world are assaulted, beaten, raped, mutilated or even murdered in what constitutes appalling violations of their human rights.