Women in Lakes call on parties to quickly implement revitalized peace agreement

unmiss south sudan rumbek revitalised peace agreement workshop

A classic presentation of group discussions, here at a women's forum in Rumbek addressing the content of the revitalised peace agreement.

27 Jan 2020

Women in Lakes call on parties to quickly implement revitalized peace agreement

Peter Ring Ariik Kuol

Women in South Sudan’s Lakes region have called on parties to the revitalized peace agreement to make a real effort to form the transitional government of national unity come 22 February.

They made their appeal during a two-day women’s forum held in Rumbek with the support from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, UNMISS. The event, aimed at sensitizing women on the provisions of the revitalised peace agreement signed in September 2018, attracted 50 participants drawn from Western Lakes, Eastern Lakes and Gok.

During the panel discussion, Ms. Susanna Akoi Kon urged the leaders of war-torn South Sudan to establish a transitional government quickly, to end inhumane treatment of women in the country.

“Women are being subjected to rape and sometimes killed. We can not continue like this. Our leaders in government and opposition, must implement the agreement,” she said.

Another participant Ms. Elizabeth Anon, said peace is the gateway for the people of South Sudan to embark on development.

“There is insecurity everywhere. Our roads are not passable during the rainy season. People cannot cultivate without risking getting killed or raped. Our hope is for our leaders to embrace peace. How can we think of development if there is no peace?” she queried.

Ms. Juzella Agar called on the government to fully implement the provision in the peace deal that guarantees women 35 per cent political representation for women.

“This is our chance as women to work hard and compete and use the 35 per cent given to us for power sharing. I urge our government to respect this provision,” she stated.

The government and opposition parties in South Sudan have twice failed to form the transitional government, first in May 2019 and then six months later in November, when they agreed to a 100-day-long extension of the pre-transitional period to resolve outstanding issues such as security arrangements and the number and boundaries of states.

Peacebuilding and sustaining peace is at the core of the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative launched by the UN Secretary-General in 2018. Through systematic and targeted measures, UN Peacekeeping addresses the situation of those individuals and communities most affected by conflict, with the overarching goal of assisting national political processes, conflict resolution and stabilization.