UPPER NILE – If there is any truth to the old saying “divided we fall, united we conquer”, the future looks bright for women and girls in Kodok, where their male counterparts also showed up in great numbers to celebrate International Women’s Day and promote gender equality.

With some 2,000 people gathered to mark the occasion, anyone could tell that the South Sudanese theme this year is “Empowering women and girls to promote equality, safety and a healthy environment”, Anyone Olwak, Fashoda County Commissioner certainly did.

“Their empowerment means that our daughters and granddaughters go to school and become educated. The resulting gender equality enables them to be heard in political and other important processes,” the Commissioner said.

For that to happen, however, the Chairlady of the Women’s Union in Fashoda, Elizabeth Ayan, believes that everyone has to work in the same direction, not just women and girls.

“Men and boys must embrace reality and understand that women and girls are their equals. Only with their support can we create and benefit from a level playing field, and to me, the diverse crowd present here today is proof that we can achieve it,” she told the cheering crowd.

Following violent clashes causing mass displacement of women and children in 2022 and 2023, Kodok residents are likely to have cherished the festive get-together on home turf more than most. This was not a day for remembering fear and the frequent incidents of sexual and gender-based violence of the past, but an occasion to enjoy dance and other cultural performances by different groups of both women and children.

Responding to the above-mentioned violence and insecurity, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, established a temporary base in Kodok.

Pajwan Deng, a Civil Affairs Officer working for the peacekeeping mission, is convinced that the presence of Blue Helmets has made and continues to make a significant difference for women and girls living in the area.

“The absence of violence and fear opens the doors for women’s equal participation in society. In turn, their direct involvement in community affairs and decision-making increases the chances of maintaining and consolidating peace”.