Still a long march until equal access is reached
Tuesday 8 March 2011 marked the 100th International Women’s Day (IWD), which was celebrated in Yei, Central Equatoria State, under the theme \'Equal Access to Education, Training, Science and Technology - pathway to decent work for women\'.
The chairperson of the organising committee for the 2011 Women\'s day in Yei, Mrs. Victoria Nashra Augustino, said \"the support of the business community, the government at all levels, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and many private individuals have made this day a success\", a day evoking how much women suffered during the \'struggle\'.
\"We need to send all our children to school regardless of their sex.\"
Mama Agnes, an elderly woman from Yei, reminded the audience in her speech that the women were the most vulnerable during the twenty-one years of war. “Just as the soldiers were in the bush so were we”, she exclaimed. As many Southerners are euphoric about their upcoming independence, Mama Agnes also used the opportunity to look into the future, providing equal access for all segments of society, especially to education: \"We need to send all our children to school regardless of their sex.\"
Read also \"100th IWD in Juba: Women Still Marginalised Majority\" by Boboya Simon
However, for this to become a reality, the people of Southern Sudan still have to march a long way. Harmful traditional practices such as denying education to the girls, forcing early marriage on girls, inadequate maternal health systems, limited basic freedoms and the immense workload girls and young women have to carry are the key obstacles to be overcome for women to enjoy all the facets of a free, fair and democratic society.
Women have a major role to play in the development of the soon to become independent nation. An NGO representative advocated for more training of women in vocational skills, micro-finance support for women to start businesses, strong laws against early marriage and Gender Based Violence (GBV). She added that Southern Sudan as a new nation should sign the Women’s Bill of Rights since many people take the non-ratification as an excuse, legitimising harmful practices against women.
A view from the North: \"IWD - Women celebrating behind bars\" by Rishan Ochi
The occasion was accompanied by civic education activities like songs, dramas, puppetry and traditional dances, all addressing cross-cutting issues of GBV, the harmful impacts of early marriage, mine awareness and the importance of girl child education, all presented by school children, local youth-, women- and church-groups.
In his slideshow, Kepo Moses from Yei captured moments of joy, but also of growing realisation of the long march ahead towards equality in Southern Sudan:
