South Sudan Women Demand
Inclusion in the Peace Process:
The Journey to Addis and Beyond
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The outbreak of armed conflict in South Sudan,
Africa’s youngest nation has led to massive displacement
suffering and death of thousands of innocent civilians especially
women and children. Amidst desperation and suffering, the women of
South Sudan have refused to remain victims but survivors and are
committed not to rest until their voices and concerns
are included in the peace process taking place in Addis
Ababa.
Soon after the outbreak of the conflict, the women of South Sudan
organized themselves into Women’s Operation Group- an alliance of
women representatives from the entire South Sudan; with the aim of
bringing the different factions to a negotiating table. However,
their voices were not heard despite the international recognition
of women’s participation in decision-making at all
levels in conflict resolution and peace processes as stipulated by
the UNSCR 1325, the Beijing Platform for Action and the
Maputo Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa.
With the proliferation of conflicts around the world, women in
Africa have in the past organized themselves into a formidable
force and influenced the peace processes in their countries.
In Liberia, Sierra Leone and Uganda, women’s unique perspectives
were central in engendering peace processes. It is
therefore very important to support the South Sudan women in their
efforts of ensuring that sustainable peace is achieved in the
country.
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The
Consultative Meeting in Kampala
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Isis-WICCE, a feminist organization committed to
justice, peace and human security; and has worked with
south Sudan women for over a period of 10 years was not only
dismayed about the escalation of conflict in South Sudan but was
also deeply concerned about the absence of women in the peace
talks; slated for Addis Ababa under the Auspices of Inter
government a Authority on Development (IGAD) early in the year.
Isis-WICCE engaged her partners on how best to support South
Sudan women leaders to ensure that their voices and concerns
are taken into account in the peace negotiation process.
Consequently, a consultative meeting with South
Sudan women leaders was organized in Kampala from 19th to 22nd
January 2014. The purpose of the meeting was to provide a platform
for South Sudan women to consolidate women’s voices in order to
influence the peace talks between the conflicting parties; which
was taking place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at the time. The meeting
was attended by 18 women leaders drawn from the government and
civil society in South Sudan as well as South Sudan refugee
community in Uganda.
The most critical issue that the women raised during the
consultative meeting was that their efforts have not been
recognized by stakeholders involved in the peace negotiations
when they are the ones picking up the pieces; and the need for
their participation.
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During the meeting, the women expressed concern on
the immense destruction, indiscriminate and ethnically targeted
killings, the suffering and displacement of the population as well
as the breakdown of moral values, governance systems and internal
party politics that degenerated into an armed conflict. They
demanded to be part of the negotiating teams so that their unique
perspectives as mothers, sisters, daughters and grandmothers become
essential in understanding and addressing the dynamics of the
conflict. At the end of the meeting, a communiqué detailing their
demands was drawn and signed by all. In the communiqué, the women
demanded;
- Immediate cessation
of hostilities with clear gender sensitive implementation and
monitoring guidelines and participation of citizens in
ending violent acts including rape and other forms of violence
against women;
- Immediate inclusion
of at least 25% of South Sudanese women from senior level
positions in the mediation and ceasefire monitoring teams;
with a clear mandate;
- Funds coming
in for the ongoing peace process should also be invested in
human resource and capacity development for women;
- IGAD, African
Union, the Chief Mediator, the Parties to the conflict and
International Community to support psychosocial therapy,
sexual and reproductive health and rights services as well as
trauma healing; and
- Creation of corridor
for humanitarian assistance to the IDPs among others.
The meeting also laid out strategies on how to
engage different stakeholders while in Addis Ababa.
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South
Sudan Women Leaders light a candle as a symbol of hope and peace during
the consultative meeting in Kampala
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Linking up with the
negotiation team
In Addis Ababa, the South Sudanese women held a
meeting with the IGAD Chief Negotiator Amb. Seyoum Mesfin, to whom
they presented their demands as stipulated in the Kampala
communiqué. They also raised other issues pertinent to women’s
needs and concerns like the need to develop a comprehensive
strategy for security sector reforms, a comprehensive
Demilitarization, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) program
and a truth and reconciliation process, as important
components of healing.
The Chief Negotiator expressed support for women’s participation to
the peace process; “…."these are genuine concerns coming from
the womb of mothers, daughters and sisters, who are at the
receiving end of the crisis… the process is going to be different
this time round as the participation of citizens particularly
religious groups, women and youths is paramount ". He
advised South Sudanese women to speak with one
voice and remain neutral so that their contribution can be valued
and sought by the team.
The South Sudan women leaders also held a meeting with H.E Mary
Robinson the UNSG Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region. During
the meeting the statement of the South Sudan women was
presented. Reacting to the demand by the women, Mrs.
Robinson emphasized the role of women and girls in peace building
and sustainable development. She urged them to profile their voices
in all processes at all levels to ensure that women’s contribution
to peace is valued in all spaces. She promised to share the
concerns of the women of South Sudan in her meeting with IGAD and
other relevant stakeholders.
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H.E
Mary Robinson,the United Nations Secretary General Special
Envoy for the Great Lakes Region
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The women also met with the Norwegian Special Envoy
on Sudan and South Sudan – Jens-Petter Kjemprud as well as the UN
Women Representative to the AU, Ms. Letty Chiwara. The women
briefed them on their efforts since the conflict erupted and
the specific support they want from the representatives. They
specifically mentioned the need for the UN Women to profile their
voices and to provide support both technical and financial to
continuously meet at the margins of the political negotiations.
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South Sudanese women have continued to
mobilize both within the country and outside. They are
engaging at different fronts and strategizing to maintain the
momentum. Plans are underway to establish different working groups
in Nairobi, Addis Ababa and Juba to continue influencing the peace
process. At this stage of the peace process we happy to report that
due to the various advocacy efforts the two parties to the conflict
have included three women each to their team. While we welcome this
positive step, we urge the negotiators to include women in civil
society as their perspective is required for objectivity and
inclusiveness as they represent a wider group of women.
The major challenge for women is lack of resources to sustain
the efforts and this is a call to all partners to
support the women’s efforts as provided for in United
Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000). Including the
women in the peace process is not simply the right thing to do; it
is the smart thing to do.
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