10 October 2013 – To create awareness about legal protection for victims of gender-based violence, a workshop was held today for 55 women by the government and partners in the Jonglei State capital Bor.

“There are a lot of gaps,” said Abuk Gabriel, a director in the state Ministry of Gender. “Women do not know their rights (or) how and where they report cases of gender-based violence.”

The one-day training workshop, organized by the Ministry of Gender, UN Development Programme and UNMISS, covered topics like sexual gender-based violence, human rights and how women could be protected legally.

Ms. Gabriel said organizing such workshops would help address cases of domestic violence and highlight implications of forced marriage, noting that this was very common in the state.

“If a young girl is being forced to marry a man by her father, the mother does not have a say (in the matter),” she said. “This is a violation of the girls’ right to (education).”

UNMISS Judicial Affairs Officer Mike Dzakuma said the workshop would help participants to advocate for women rights in their communities.