Women leaders across South Sudan have issued a powerful communiqué calling on the government to urgently pass the long-delayed Family Bill and Anti-GBV Bill.
The group warned that stalled legal reforms continue to undermine women’s rights and protection.
The statement came at the close of the National Gender Forum, held from November 5th to 7th at the Pyramid Continental Hotel in Juba.
The forum, convened by the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA Network), was themed “Securing Gains, Shaping Tomorrow” and reviewed the progress and future of women’s leadership and empowerment under the We Cannot Wait (WCW) project.
The five-year WCW initiative, supported by the Royal Netherlands Embassy, has worked to amplify women’s voices as agents of equality, peace, and justice.
The gathering brought together an influential mix of civil society actors, women’s coalitions, activists, faith leaders, women with disabilities, and young women from across South Sudan.
Throughout the three-day deliberations, participants reflected on the achievements of South Sudanese women in peacebuilding and governance, while also confronting the persistent barriers that continue to weaken gender equality.
The communiqué acknowledged government steps and partner contributions toward obligations under UNSCR 1325, CEDAW, the Maputo Protocol, and SDG 5.
But leaders voiced deep concern over what they described as a “persistent lack of political will” to implement the 35% affirmative action quota guaranteed under the peace agreement.
They urged the government to ensure women are replaced by women in leadership roles, allocate meaningful resources to gender-responsive programs under the R-ARCSS, and invest in stronger justice systems to combat rising cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
The forum stressed that passing the Family Bill and Anti-GBV Bill is critical for safeguarding women’s rights, reducing violence, and aligning national laws with regional and international standards.
As the WCW project officially comes to an end, participants reaffirmed their commitment to building a united National Women’s Coalition that will continue pushing for reforms and accountability.
“We will not relent until every woman and girl in South Sudan lives free from violence, exclusion, and fear,” the communiqué stated a reaffirmation of both determination and defiance at a crucial moment for the country’s women’s movement.
