Women leaders call for strong lobby and advocacy in implementation of 35%

Women leaders holding different positions in Wau_ Western Bahr el Ghazal State, have called for a strong lobby and advocacy in the implementation of 35% affirmative action in all the government sectors.

The call is made as a recommendation following the conclusion of a two-day awareness workshop on political and electoral rights, organized by the Center for Strengthening Community Voices (CSCOV) with support from Access to Skills and Knowledge (ASKnet).

Fifty women leaders in the state, including the Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, and the Minister of Peace Building, participated in the workshop, which concluded with a number of recommendations.

Saeeda Abdul Jabar, the secretary general for the state women’s union, emphasized the importance of strengthening women’s networks to allow them to advocate for their rights and ensure full participation of women in politics.

“We recommend the reactivation of women’s networks in the State to strengthen the lobby and advocacy. When we were discussing before, we came to know that there is a network of women that was formed to drive about women’s issues within the State. So if there is a network already, then we need not to form another network but, to reactivate the existing one. So, we need to build women’s capacity to make them strong and confident and face anything in their life.”

Vivian Louis Sabah-al-kheir, a member of the state transitional legislative assembly, called for unity and a collective responsibility among all women within the state to ensure not only the 35% affirmative action but, full representation of women in all sectors.

She therefore, encouraged women not to wait but to build their capacity and also join political parties since the Country is expected to conduct its first general election scheduled for December 2025.

“We need to advocate everywhere we are, to improve on the participation of women in political and electoral rights. However, this cannot be achieved, unless women join political parties. If it an administrative position a woman wants to be, then she needs to be qualified and trained. So, all these falls in our hands as the women, and to bring the solution we need to start moving.”

It is important to note that the State government contains 17 ministries, of which only 4 ministers are female, making an approximately 25%, meanwhile, within the 17 ministries, only 3 director generals are female, making an approximately 18% women representation. In addition to the implementation of the 35% affirmative action of women representation, several recommendations came out of the workshop, which included: creation of more awareness for women at all levels including those in the remote areas, encouraging women to join the adult literacy program (accelerate learning program or ALP), capacity building for women, and, amongst other women empowering initiatives