UN Women aims to close gender gap in Southern Sudan

The ratio of men to women in the Southern Sudanese Legislative Assembly is two to one. Only one of the 79 county commissioners in Southern Sudan is female.

By supporting gender equality in Southern Sudanese society, the UN agency formed last year would like to see these figures change.

Under the direction of Lucie Luguga, manager of the South Sudan Programme, the initiative began during the 2010 elections and this year’s independence referendum.

Women in Southern Sudan encounter many challenges that hinder their participation in governance and the exercising of their political rights. As Charlton Doki reports, reversing this trend is an uphill battle.