JUBA – Everyone at the Mangateen camp in Juba, South Sudan, knows Mary.
Surrounded by the community she committed to support, her presence carries an air of calm and compassionate authority.
This authority has not come easy. Growing up in a community led by men, she first-hand experienced the absence of advocacy for and upholding of women’s rights. She says this often left her feeling powerless.
“If there is no strong female leader or role model, women tend to not speak up when their rights are being violated. They fear that rather than being heard, they will suffer from retaliation,” explains Mary.
Seeing the negative impact these gender balance vacuums have on communities, she decided to step up and become a community leader.
But when the conflict, and, with it, cases of gender-based violence, erupted again in 2013, her community demanded more.
“I never thought of myself as a female sultan, so when I was asked to take up this role, I wasn’t sure at first. Still, what I was always sure about is that I needed to help those around me, so it wasn’t really a choice,” she recalls with a smile.
Since then, Mary has been working tirelessly to uphold women’s rights and protection, as aligned with customary law.
Typically, she receives at least five cases a day of violence against women. Most are related to domestic violence or substance abuse. More complicated cases, such as rape or murder, are referred to the nearest police station in Mundri.
The ones processed in her make-shift office or under the adjacent tree receive careful consideration despite persisting challenges such as the lack of detention cells and risks posed by perpetrators questioning her judgement.
“Not only do I have to be accountable to myself when it came to making judgements, but also community members demand justifications for my rulings. If I fail to provide proper reasoning, I could be killed anytime,” she shares.
However, as Mary explains, the recent introduction of a formal customary law reform has ensured she has formal guidelines to refer people to in case of questions.
Never able to leave work at her office, she tends to take it home where her 10 children await her every evening. Even more so, when she has cases of mothers suffering from domestic violence by their husbands.
“Women in my community know that I am a not just a sultan but also a mother. Sometimes, they leave their children with me to take care of them until the situation stabilizes.”
Mary’s biggest challenge, however, is a personal one - the persistent feeling of being powerless amidst various political and humanitarian challenges in a country that remains predominantly led by men.
Her message to fellow women is clear:
“Don’t tell yourself that you cannot do certain types of work because you are a woman. If you want to be an artist, create art. If you want to lead your community, come see me. We are just as strong as men. There’s nothing we cannot do!”
By Jaella Brockmann
