25 November 2013 - Seeking to raise awareness and end the continuing scourge, several South Sudanese states marked International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women with speeches, parades and dramas.

In Bor, Jonglei State, youth distributed white ribbons, the international symbol for the elimination of violence against women, to hundreds if residents at new Freedom Square.

“The White Ribbon campaign acknowledges that an overwhelming majority of the victims of domestic violence are women,” a statement from the Jonglei Youth Union said. “We welcome all campaigns that call to end violence of any kind.”

Celebrated nationwide under the theme “Promote peace at home and stop violence”, the Day also launched “16 Days of Activism against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse”, organized by the state Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, UN Refugee Agency and Safe Access to Justice Program.

Rachel Anok Omot, State Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, noted that violence against women in Jonglei included early and forced marriages, high dowries, domestic violence, unequal division of workload between men and women, rape and abduction.

During the occasion, Ms. Omot’s ministry, UNMISS and civil society presented a torch to state caretaker governor John Kong, who was represented by Diing Akol Diing, State Minister for Local Government.

The torch symbolized light against the darkness of gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and abuse.

At a celebration in Yambio, Western Equatoria State, Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare Zilipha Daw, speaking to a crowd at Freedom Square, urged victims of violence to report abuses to local authorities and police so they could arrest perpetrators.

State Acting Governor Gibson Wande said no one could deny women were the most vulnerable people in South Sudan, despite their efforts during wartime to support the army on the frontline.

He said a bill had been drafted to protect girls against any kind sexual abuse and allow them to pursue an education.

In Aweil, Northern Bahr El-Ghazal State, the government pledged at a celebration attended by hundreds of residents to disseminate awareness-raising and sensitization activities about gender-based violence to citizens across the state.

“This year our activities will reach out to people in the payams (districts),” said State Ministry of Social Development Acting Director General Joseph Madut Mou.

State Minister of Social Development Ajak Michael Akok called on all citizens to participate in the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. He urged girls to pursue education and become agents of change in the future.

“An educated woman knows how to resolve family differences with her husband, she knows how to approach her husband, sit with him and discuss in order to resolve conflicts at home,” Mr. Akok said.

In the run-up to the Day, some 20 police and prison officers in Aweil completed on 22 November a four-day training on preventing and responding to gender-based violence.

Organized by the UN Development Programme in partnership with UNMISS and the South Sudan National Police Service, the activity aimed to enhance the capacity of officers in gender mainstreaming, awareness creating and advocacy.

“What I have learned here will bring changes in the way we were doing our duties,” said first Lieutenant of Police maria Abuk Akuei, adding that the training should be extended to others.

In closing remarks, UNMISS State Police Adviser Taner Ciftci urged participants to take what they had learned back to their assigned areas.

“Try to share this information with your counterparts, with your supervisors and with your colleagues,” he said.