Over fifty women from the counties of Nzara and Yambio are attending a two-day UNMISS peace dialogue workshop in Yambio under the theme “the role of women in peace building”.

Speaking to the participants, the State Minister of Education, Gender, Child and Social Welfare, Patrick Kandi, urged women to come up with conflict-related issues affecting them. These will then be presented to the government and partners in order to be addressed and promote peace and the role of women in society.

The UNMISS Head of Field Office (HoFO) in Western Equatoria, Koliab Nahataba, said the aim of the peace dialogue is to discuss issues that hinder peace as women are the most affected people in most aspects of conflict.

“In all situations where we have been you will agree with me that women have been most affected during conflict. Women should tell us what issues they think disturb our peace, the issues that hinder us from enjoying the peace that we want”, Mr. Nahataba said.

The workshop is organized by the UNMISS Civil Affairs Division and Gender Unit in Yambio and has attracted participants from the State Assembly, civil society groups and the organized forces.