JONGLEI - John Akuoch knows that South Sudan’s elections, currently scheduled for December this year, will be both historic and challenging. As the Assistant Coordinator for the South Sudan National Police Service in Jonglei, he believes that inclusivity is the key to success.
“I am looking forward to a voting process where women are not left behind, though I understand that elections will be a complex undertaking. We need support and training so that as police officers we are fully equipped to create a safe environment for women voters,” Mr Akuoch says.
United Nations Police (UNPOL) serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan’s (UNMISS) Field Office in Jonglei, are helping answer his call through a recent training for 30 local policing counterparts on electoral security and the practical protection of women voters and candidates.
According to Marven Musonda, the UNPOL Commander leading this initiative, law enforcement personnel play a pivotal role in ensuring peaceful elections.
“A security environment that enables women to fully participate in decision-making processes, including casting their vote at the ballot boxes, is the key to peaceful and inclusive polls anywhere n the world. And law enforcement agencies are central to establishing such conditions,” explained Commander Musonda.
During the session, discussions centered on the vital role of women in peace and security and the specific role of police in providing electoral security, including ways to deter potential violence against women when voting eventually begins.
For veteran officers from the South Sudan National Police such as Achol Dut Deng, women’s participation in civic and political processes is non-negotiable.
“South Sudan’s first elections represent a powerful opportunity for women to take on leadership positions and shift narratives from violence to the importance of consolidating peace and development,” she noted.
Ms Deng suggested measures to make this possible such as increasing civic education at the grassroots, moving voting centers closer to the people and end cyclical conflict that keeps women insecure.
As the training concluded, there was a clear consensus—lasting peace is vital for all citizens, including women, to freely express their hopes for a peaceful, prosperous South Sudan at the upcoming polls.
By Angellah Mandoreba
