UNITY – In her 38 years, Elizabeth Nyayan Gatwech Pur has lived many lives.
First as a refugee, fleeing the war in South Sudan. Then as a teen mother. Next was a job as a humanitarian. And today as a Protection, Transition and Reintegration Officer serving with the United Nations peacekeeping mission.
Elizabeth exemplifies the resilience and leadership that women and girls across South Sudan aspire to.
Born in Akobo County, Elizabeth’s childhood was marred by the conflict raging in South Sudan. At nine, she was sent to Kenya with her uncle so she could attend school, living in the Kakuma Refugee Camp till graduation. Life in the camp was marked by poverty, food insecurity, and limited access to education.
“Being called a refugee hurt me the most,” she says. “It meant I had no identity.”
Like many South Sudanese girls, Elizabeth became a mother while still in school, but was determined to complete her education.
In 2008, she returned to South Sudan through a UNHCR-supported repatriation programme. The country was trying to recover, and employment opportunities were very limited.
Working as a census volunteer, she travelled long distances under the hot sun and difficult conditions. But the work provided her with a sense of purpose.
“It was exhausting,” she says, “but it felt good. We were helping to rebuild the country.”
That purpose was realized during the 2011 referendum on independence. Having lived most of her life without a sense of nationhood, the vote was deeply personal.
“I dipped all my ten fingers in the ink for the vote,” she says. “We only had to dip one finger in the ink, but I wanted that freedom for us so badly.”
Elizabeth then landed her first job with International Medical Corps. Though she had no training in finance, she learned on the job and supervisors mentored her. Over the next few years, she moved jobs but was able to build a career in finance and administration.
When civil war erupted in South Sudan in 2013, she was based in Malakal where she witnessed gruesome violence and was evacuated by UNMISS to Kenya. “I was traumatized.”
After returning to South Sudan, she joined UNMISS as a translator in 2018 - the only Nuer-speaking woman in that role at the time. She specialized in translating sensitive investigations, essentially speaking for the voiceless.
One human rights investigation made a huge impact, when she met a six-year-old rape survivor. She had to step outside to pray before conducting the interview.
“I told God, give me the courage to speak for this girl. I will do it for her and every other girl like her.”
From that moment on, she wanted to be an advocate for women and girls’ rights.
Despite many challenges, she continued to invest in herself. Working full-time and raising five children, she completed diplomas in finance and human resources, and a BA in business administration. Today she is pursuing a master’s degree.
At home, her children call her “Super Eagle”, a symbol of strength and independence.
“When we talk about gender equality, you cannot sit back and wait. You must compete. You must make yourself competent.”
Given the deeply rooted norms that often limit women in South Sudan, Elizabeth believes education is the most powerful tool for change. Her work now focuses on economic empowerment, particularly for women and youth.
“Education is the only tool to fight injustice,” she says. “Without it, even our cries for equality are in vain.”
This International Women’s Day, Elizabeth Nyayan Gatwech Pur stands as a reminder that South Sudanese women are not only survivors, but advocates and leaders, and the backbone of the nation’s future.
By Robin Giri
