Breaking chains of conflicts: How South Sudan and Somalia are enhancing gender equality
Somalian women take part in a demonstration in Mogadishu.
What you need to know:
- South Sudan and Somalia are implementing landmark initiatives to combat gender-based violence and promote gender equality.
- The countries are addressing FGM, GBV, and inequality while advancing gender-focused policies and frameworks.
Two East African countries are embracing initiatives geared towards gender equality and fight against gender-based violence.
South Sudan and Somalia have high cases of gender-based violence (GBV) largely fuelled by years of conflict. In 2022, for example, a report by the UN Human Rights Office lifted the lid off the widespread sexual violence against women and girls in South Sudan as a result of conflict.
In the report, a woman described her friend being raped by a man in the forest who then said he wanted to continue to “have fun” and further raped her with a firewood stick until she bled to death.
Teenage girls also described being left for dead by their rapists while bleeding heavily. “South Sudanese women are physically assaulted while being raped at gunpoint, typically held down by men while being abused by others. They are told not to resist in the slightest way, and not to report what happened, or they will be killed,” the report read.
Medical personnel say many survivors have been raped multiple times throughout their lifetime. The report describes women often bearing children as a result of rapes, noting that in many cases, survivors have contracted sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.
Today, women and girls in South Sudan are still subjected to GBV as the crime continues to rise unchecked. In early 2024, the country witnessed a troubling surge in GBV that affected over 1,000 civilians. Every month, about 500 women and girls experience GBV.
To tame this menace, South Sudan in 2019 came up with the Anti-GBV Bill, which was tabled in the country’s parliament for debate. However, the bill has remained untouched for the past five years, raising concerns from rights organisations as women and girls continue to face GBV.
Women rights organisations have been at the forefront of pressuring the government to revive the bill and have it passed into law. Two weeks ago, the government bowed to pressure and joined forces with stakeholders to review a long-awaited anti-GBV bill aimed at protecting survivors’ rights and prosecuting perpetrators.
The Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, in collaboration with the Christian Agency for Peace and Development and Equality Now, organised a one-day advocacy workshop on the bill and related legislation. The workshop was themed “Strengthening Advocacy for Gender Equality, Mobilising Support for Anti-GBV and Related Legislative Framework.”
Gender, Child, and Social Welfare Minister Benjamin Aya said the move was a significant step as it came five years after the bill was first tabled in parliament in 2019. “It underscores the government’s renewed commitment to addressing the alarming rates of sexual and gender-based violence in South Sudan,” Benjamin said.
“We celebrate this partnership-driven step towards a safer, more equitable society and look forward to seeing this legislation enacted,” Equality Now said in a statement on Facebook.
The bill seeks to address harmful practices deeply embedded in customary law, such as child marriages and forced marriages, which have been major drivers of inequality and violence against women. It also seeks to address domestic violence, sexual violence and child protection, and seeks to create structures such as the Anti-GBV committee, the Anti-GBV fund, specialised courts, and Family Protection Centres for victims.
The latest 2024 statistics reveal a record rise in GBV in South Sudan. Between April and June, the UN Mission in South Sudan documented 317 violent incidents affecting at least 1,062 civilians, including 160 women and 188 children. These incidents led to 442 deaths and left 297 people injured. The report highlights that 197 cases involved abductions, while 126 individuals were subjected to sexual violence, showing a concerning 181 per cent increase in abductions compared to the same period in 2023.
In neighbouring Somalia, the country is marking a significant milestone in its commitment to advancing gender equality with the launch of the Somalia Generation Equality Forum. The forum is aimed at addressing critical issues such as GBV, women’s economic empowerment, and access to education and healthcare. It is also aimed at creating a comprehensive roadmap for implementing effective policies and programmes that support gender equality, drawing on best practice and local innovations.
Somalia is, for example, considered to have the highest cases of FGM in the world. The recent Somali Demographic and Health Survey (2020) showed a prevalence of 99 per cent, including Type I, Type II, Type III and Type IV. The Generation Equality Forum was launched during an event organised by the Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development.
The event brought together high-ranking government officials, civil society members, international partners, and other stakeholders committed to advancing gender equality and women’s rights. In a country largely considered as a failed state due to decades of civil war, GBV is also rampant, with physical violence, intimate partner violence (IPV) and rape being the most common types of violence that women and girls face.
Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development Director-General Isaaq Hashi emphasised the significance of the forum on Somalia's journey towards gender equality. He highlighted the collaborative efforts of the government, civil society, and international partners in addressing key issues such as GBV and economic disparities. “This event marks a significant milestone on our journey towards gender equality, reflecting our commitment to addressing the unique challenges faced by Somali women,” Isaaq said.
One of the goals of the event was to advocate the protection of women’s rights, including enactment of the Rape, Indecency and Related Offences Bill, which addresses the urgent need for comprehensive legislation to protect individuals from sexual offences, and ensure justice for survivors. The bill represents a vital step. Sexual offences are pervasive and deeply rooted in gender inequality, affecting people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.
UN Women head in Somalia Syed Sadiq noted that legal frameworks often fail to address the complexity of these offences, leading to impunity and further victimisation. “The Generation Equality Forum holds great significance for Somali women, providing a global platform to address and advance women’s rights and equality. It allows us to shed light on the unique challenges faced by Somali women, such as gender-based violence, limited access to education, and economic disparities.”
Somali parliamentarians in attendance emphasised the necessity of establishing a platform dedicated to promoting women's rights and equality. They committed to advancing legislation that protects the rights of women and children. Acting Minister for Women and Human Rights Development Amina Hassan reiterated their commitment to promoting women's equality.
She emphasised the need to acknowledge and address the multifaceted challenges women face, striving for generational equality and ensuring progress for future generations. The forum equipped participants with the knowledge and strategies necessary for localising commitments and translating the international gender equality agenda into national and local spheres.
According to the 2020 Somali Health and Demographic Survey, most Somali girls and women were cut between the ages of five and nine. This includes Type I, Type II, Type II and Type IV. While the prohibitions against female genital mutilation are contained in federal legal and regulatory frameworks, the Jubaland federal FGM Bill has been drafted and presented to the cabinet but has yet to be endorsed. Recent estimates indicate that more than 2.1 million girls are at risk of FGM between 2015–30.
