Civil Society activist call for speedy PA implementation

3 Nov 2016

Civil Society activist call for speedy PA implementation

The success of the Sustainable Development Goals, will depend, in part, on how well stakeholders invest and support the young girls of today, according to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).

The announcement was made as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) launched it's state of the World Population report 2016 in South Sudan today.

According to the report, the UNFPA states that of the 125 million 10-year-olds today, 60 million are girls who are systematically disadvantaged at the global level as they move through adolescence into adulthood.

Miraya Breakfast Show host, Sebit William, spoke to UNFPA Assistant Representative Dr Wilfred Ochan.

He began by asking Dr Ochan, why this year’s report has focused on this demographic.

The success of the Sustainable Development Goals, will depend, in part, on how well stakeholders invest and support the young girls of today, according to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).

The announcement was made as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) launched it's state of the World Population report 2016 in South Sudan today.

According to the report, the UNFPA states that of the 125 million 10-year-olds today, 60 million are girls who are systematically disadvantaged at the global level as they move through adolescence into adulthood.

Miraya Breakfast Show host, Sebit William, spoke to UNFPA Assistant Representative Dr Wilfred Ochan.

He began by asking Dr Ochan, why this year’s report has focused on this demographic.

The UNMISS SRSG, Ms. Ellen Margrethe Løj, has reiterated that the mission is here to support the people of South Sudan, during a meeting with members of the South Sudan Council of Elders in UN House, Juba.  Ms. Løj then called for the guns to go silent, to allow the people of the country to return to their normal lives. 

 

The Head of the UN Mission explained that UNMISS is here to support the peace process and the people of South Sudan.

 

“The United Nations does not want to take over South Sudan,” Ms Løj stressed, adding that “we are here to assist in solving the countries difficulties so that the people can live in peace regardless of their gender and ethnicity.”

 

The SRSG added, “The sooner you solve disagreements amongst each other in a peaceful manner the better, so that the people can live in peace.”

 

Deng Macham, Chairperson of the South Sudan Council of Elders, asked UNMISS to facilitate a workshop to explain the role of the UN Mission in the peace and reconciliation process of the country. 

 

“We need this workshop so that we can work together with UNMISS to explain to the people that the UN is here to support the people of South Sudan,” Macham said.

 

He explained that the forum would clear misconceptions and inform citizens about the role of the UN Peacekeeping Mission.

 

“Most people in the country feel that the UN wants to take over South Sudan,” Macham said, “so we want to hear from you, so we can then clearly explain it to the people,” he added.

 

The meeting was also attended by members of the South Sudan Civil Society Alliance. 

 

 

 

 

 

A Civil society activist has called for the speedy implementation of the Agreement to resolve the conflict in South Sudan.

 

“I think many of us feel that the peace agreement is not moving as it was intended, the pace is very slow, it is almost stalled,” said Lorna Merekaje, a member of the Voluntary Civil Society Taskforce on the Implementation of the Peace Agreement 2015. 

 

Speaking to Miraya Breakfast Show on Thursday, Merekaje deplored the delays in implementing the peace agreement and warned, that the slow pace in implementation, paves way for more complications in the restoration of normalcy in the country.  

 

The activist urged all stakeholders to go back to the drawing board and revitalize the process of implementation, stressing that implementing the agreement requires a robust and decisive response, from all stakeholders and the actors in South Sudan’s peace process to accelerate the process. “one hand cannot clap we need two hands,” she said.

 

Merekaje however advised that reviewing the mechanisms of implementing the agreement must also involve the intellectuals and academicians and should not be left to politicians alone. “We need to specifically pay attention on the intellectuals that we have, we have very good brains in South Sudan, some of the best brains are in South Sudan but we are not capitalizing them.”

 

Merekaje noted that the Politicians have tried their best, but appear to be stuck and it’s time for technocrats to jump in and provide guidance on how to unblock the stalemate.

 

“Technocrats must be involved in the discussions on how to unblock the stalemate, because we look stuck and don’t know how to move on.”

 

In October, the Chairperson of the Joint Monitoring and evaluation commission, H.E Festus Mogae, urged the Transitional Government of National Unity develop a revised and realistic timeline and implementation schedule that is consistent with the Agreement.