South Sudan commits to women’s rights protection
Displaced South Sudanese in Juba. The country's government has committed to protecting women's rights.
What you need to know:
- Vice-President and Co-Chair for Gender, Youth and Humanitarian Cluster Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior said they will ratify all regional and international women’s rights instruments.
- She addressed an AU delegation that visited the country to advocate the importance of ratifying the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.
South Sudan has committed to protecting and promoting women’s rights to enhance gender equality.
The South Sudanese government said it will implement the provisions of the country’s transitional constitution that recognises women’s rights and is committed to gender equality.
Vice-President and Co-Chair for Gender, Youth and Humanitarian Cluster Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior said her country has also committed to ratifying all regional and international women’s rights instruments.
She made the remarks when she addressed a delegation from the African Union (AU) that visited the country to advocate the importance of ratifying the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, commonly known as Maputo Protocol.
South Sudan’s Gender, Child and Social Welfare minister Aya Benjamin Warille lauded the advocacy visit by the AU team. He termed the trip timely, saying it would help fast-track the ratification process, hence present a lot of opportunities for the country.
Ratification of Maputo Protocol
The sentiments were echoed by James Francis Kutiyote, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, who emphasised the importance of ratifying the protocol.
“Maputo Protocol is key for the advancement of gender equality in South Sudan, hence the urgency for a detailed follow-up on the finalisation of the ratification process of the treaty,” said Mr Kutiyote.
The head of coordination and outreach at AU’s Women, Gender & Youth Directorate, Ms Victoria Maloka, in a statement, commended the efforts of the government of South Sudan in ensuring women and girls’ rights are protected and respected.
“We take note of the progress made and working with the AU Liaison Office in Juba. We will continue to support South Sudan in its efforts for women and girls’ equality,” said Ms Maloka.
The visit is part of many efforts, including the development of the Maputo Protocol Scorecard and Index and the ‘All for Maputo Protocol Programme’, to support member states to promote and protect the rights of women.
Progressive instrument
The Maputo Protocol remains the most comprehensive and progressive instrument on women’s rights, laying out provisions for widows, the elderly, women with disabilities and women in distress.
The youngest country in Africa has made great strides in achieving its gender equality obligations. Among others, it has reached 32 per cent women’s representation in its legislature, surpassing the global quota of 30 per cent and it has also established Gender-Based Violence and Juvenile Special Court, setting a precedent.
However, South Sudan is one of the 12 countries on the continent that are yet to ratify the Maputo Protocol. The others are Botswana, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Madagascar, Morocco, Niger, Somalia, and Sudan. So far, 43 countries have ratified the protocol.
The African Union Commission adopted the AU Strategy on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (2018-28), which identified the domestication and enforcement of the provisions of the Maputo Protocol as a priority, giving rise to the All for Maputo Protocol Programme. It sets, among its objectives, universal ratification, domestication and implementation of the protocol by all member states.
As a result of the persistent gender inequality and discriminatory practices against women in Africa, the AU Assembly adopted on July 11, 2003, in Maputo, Mozambique, giving it its name, hence the Maputo name.
