Page 16 - Issue 9

women of South Sudan and the South continue to be a challenge. for gender equality and women
Sudanese population as a whole. The President Salva Kiir has been praiseD for empowerment, including representation
women have continually expressed, appointing Rebecca and other women in government.
through various forums, their strong in the new cabinet. These include, five In Rwanda, the call for equality was
desire to find ways of ending hostilities female ministers and five female deputies led not by women but by one man —
and to focus national attention to social The change in policy to appoint the President Paul Kagame, who has led
cohesion and nation building.
women was reported to be in response
According to UN Women, South Sudan’s to pressure from women’s groups that
development indicators are amongst the claimed a lack of fair representation in
poorest in the world and access to basic the government and shortcomings in
social services remains a key challenge affirmative action policies.
across the country. The total population Unfortunately, the the appointment of
is very young, with 16 per cent under the 35-minister transitional government
the age of five years and 51 per cent tasked with the implementation of
under the age of 18 years. The country the reforms agreed in the revitalized
continues to have major challenge agreement and to prepare for elections
in finding strategies for sustainable within three years. does not meet the
development, and is largely dependent 35 per cent quota for representation as
on humanitarian assistance to resettle required by the UN.
returning refuges and improving
livelihoods. While commending President Salva Kiir
of the appointment of the new cabinet
The organization says, illiteracy is in accordance with the peace deal, The
extremely high, with a 27% literacy rate United Nations Secretary-General
for people above 15 years of age. The Antonio Guterres had encouraged the
literacy rate among males is more than South Sudanese parties and their leaders
double that of females. Many of the to make additional efforts to meet the 35 Awut Deng Acuil, Minister for gender
women engaged in business have great per cent quota for the representation of and social development
potential to succeed in their businesses women throughout the peace process,”
but are constrained by lack of basic he further added. the country since his army stopped the
business skills, or finance training, as genocide. Kagame decided that Rwanda
well as access to markets. High illiteracy There are eight women in the national was so demolished, so broken, it simply
also hampers the participation of women unity cabinet, two with the important could not rebuild with men’s labor
in governance at all levels. portfolios of foreign affairs and defence.
The appointments represent 25 percent alone. So the country’s new constitution,
Traditional practices such as early and which, according to most South passed in 2003, decreed that 30 percent
forced marriages, child abductions Sudanese women is responsive and of parliamentary seats be reserved for
and teenage pregnancies subordinate respond to calls for the action by the women.
women and girls and disable their efforts women in the country. The government also pledged that girls’
to contribute to development. Sexual education would be encouraged, and
and gender-based violence is prevalent, The Revitalized Transitional Government that women would be appointed to
with at least 4 out of 10 women reported of National Unity (R-TGoNU) is made leadership roles,
to have experienced one or more forms up of the incumbent government of
of violence. President Salva Kiir, the SPLM/A–IO, In the 2003 election, for instance, 48
the South Sudan Opposition Alliance percent of parliamentary seats went to
The general political and public attitude (SSOA), Former Detainees (FDs), and
and indifference to gender issues, the low Other Political Parties (OPP). women and in the following election, 64
prioritization of gender issues, as well percent. In 2018, 49 of the 80 seats in the
as the institutional and organizational The female ministers are Rebecca newly elected parliament were held by
[
weakness of the governance institutions Joshua Okwaci as Minister for women (61%), the elections maintained
Telecommunication and Postal Services; Rwanda’s position as the country with
Jemma Nunu Kumba, Minister for the highest proportion of female MPs.
Electricity and Dams; Catherine Juan Today Rwandan politics is cited as a
Bennia, Minister for Land, Housing model of gender inclusiveness.
and Physical Planning; Awut Deng The Global Gender Gap Report, which
Acuil, Minister for Gender and Social looks at four areas in particular: health,
Development; and Nadia Arop Dudi as education, economy and politics. In two
Minster for Youth, Culture and Sports. of these, Rwanda is head and shoulders
above many other more developed
South Sudan however still lags bind in
Africa, with Rwanda is ranked number countries.
one in Africa and number 5worldwide In fact, while Rwanda is classified as a

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