WARRAP - Aurora Nauru Boey wears many hats. She’s a mother to seven children, a women’s rights activist, and serves as the Deputy Mayor for Kuajok, the capital of South Sudan’s Warrap where she devotedly contributes to local governance.

Originally from conflict prone Tonj east, Aurora describes her husband as an educated, supportive man. “We are partners, and I can feel how this also positively impacts my children. They always remind me how proud they are of my accomplishments.”

When asked about whether she expects her children to follow her path, she smiles gently, before stressing that she brought them up to freely choose their way in life, following their heart and their passion.

Aurora says that her public profile never stopped her from being an activist. In fact, her education in Political Science at the Upper Nile University added to her zeal to advocate for women’s empowerment in South Sudan.

For her, at this critical time for South Sudan ahead of the upcoming elections expected to take place in December 2024, all citizens—especially women—must engage fully in shaping this young nation’s future.

“I strongly advise women to accept decision-making roles, including parliamentary and legal positions. Nobody should deny their right to be fully qualified judges, political representatives, or public servants,” explains Aurora.

“There are a lot of stereotypes surrounding women’s ability to work in politics or the public sector. These are flawed assumptions and I’d like to emphasize that every woman can excel in any domain they choose,” she adds.

Aurora further accentuates the importance of the upcoming post-independence polling, particularly the need to fully include women in all stages of the electoral process and safeguarding their representation.

“Upcoming elections aren’t a mere political event; it's an opportunity for all of us as South Sudanese to decide upon the way in which we can live together. Women make up 50 per cent of our society and as such, we must be able to take decisions on issues that impact us directly, such as choosing our elected representative without fear or intimidation,” she avers.

Having devoted her life to raising awareness on issues that impact communities, especially women, Aurora shared a clarion message with her fellow citizens.

“Now it is time for action. Let us all prioritize education and embrace learning despite our ages. With knowledge, we break labelling, and we can build a prosperous South Sudan for ourselves and the future generations.”