Lack of women in army command raises eyebrows

A women’s rights activist has lashed out at the appointments made to effect the unified command structure on the account that they failed to comply with the 35 per cent gender rule that advocates for women’s inclusion.

Speaking to The City Review on Friday, through a mobile phone call, Amer Deng commended the parties to the agreement for taking steps to unify the command and, subsequently, paving the way for President Salva Kiir’s decree on Wednesday evening.

But the chairperson of the Women’s Bloc of South Sudan expressed her disappointment with the way parties implemented the requirement of the chapter, claiming that it violates the agreement’s 35 per cent affirmative action clause. The clause requires women to participate in all aspects of decision-making in public institutions.

Amer emphasised that the organised forces have qualified women who can take up leadership roles in all decision-making at the command of the security sector parties.

She said, “We know that those who are engaged in high levels of the security sector are predominantly men, but some of them are getting promoted every now and then. So, there will be no difference if they promote women who are capable and who are already in the security sector,’’ said Amer.

“I’m not happy at all with the command structure because there is no justification for the people that they have brought into the command structure to be more qualified than any woman who is already in the armed forces. “The women there are qualified, so there is nothing that can justify that the reason why women are not there is that they are not qualified,” she added.

According to Amer, most men who are rising up the ranks do so not because they merit the promotions, but because of their familiarity with the system. She said that it was high time that women also enjoyed such privileges.

‘‘It is because they are there in those systems, so those people can also allow women to be promoted from within, “she further emphasized.

She urged the government to implement the remaining chapters of the agreement, particularly chapter four, which allows people who are not in the security or public sector to participate in the country’s development. Amer noted that violence can only be addressed once the fund for women and youth is released; where they will both be engaged.

“We need the government to fully implement the other chapters and compensate for the space that they have taken 100 per cent. If, like now, they have taken from the security sector, then it has to be compensated from the other sectors. When there is reshuffling, they should consider it even if women become 60 or 70 per cent in other areas of the public sector,’’ she appealed.

She urged female leaders in decision-making positions to encourage their colleagues in government agencies to occupy top leadership positions where decisions are made, in order to help close the gender gap in decision-making across all sectors.

She signalled leaders such as the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Angelina Teny, to push for women’s representation in decision-making, pointing out that “she has the upper hand to promote others within and she cannot do it.’’ Amer added that it “does not make sense to us because maybe when she is moved, that place will remain vacant and there will be no female there.”

To ensure that women achieve the 35 per cent affirmative action target, Amer said that a concerted effort from female leaders is required. She emphasised that “we have our female leaders in those top positions for them to support the rest of the team to come up.’’  

“When they are there, let them struggle by all means to bring capable women who can also support them and work toward their development, because what we need is not only 35 percent.

‘‘We are qualified to do anything, and in the time she spends there for three years, they can bring up some people who can really fit into those top leadership positions,” she said.

The command structure was formed by 31 officers from the SPLM, SPLA-IO, and SSOA. No women were appointed, although they have the capacity to manage positions like those of logistics, procurement, and finance.

SPLM took the biggest share of 60 per cent, and the remaining 40 per cent was allotted to SPLMA-IO and SSOA.