More needed to address GBV: Stakeholders
The South Sudan Human Rights Defenders Network, with support from the German Embassy, organised a discussion in Juba to reflect on the recent UN reports on Gender-Based Violence and develop intervention measures to stop the vice.
The Thursday meeting brought together panellists from various CSOs and governmental institutions working on women’s rights and fighting against SGBV in South Sudan.
Part of the panel was the Minister of State at the German Federal Foreign Office, Katja Keul, who is visiting South Sudan to assess various sorts of progress in and outside government.
The panel discussed the report identifying gender inequality as a contributing factor to the conflict-related tool to SGBV.
Jackeline Nasiwa, the founder of the Centre for Inclusive Governance, Peace and Justice, said the report just confirms how women and girls have been abused by men carrying guns, and that these are all over the conflict zones in the country.
“These patterns of conflict and sexual violence, including rape, are concerning. The victims are often left helpless because they cannot speak out for themselves, and this results in this kind of crime, “Nasiwa explained.
She urged the international community to keep engaging the government to live up to their expectations and obligations of respecting human rights.
“We cannot be a stronger country without respecting human rights, and rights mean civilised community. If we don’t respect rights, then we are not a civilised community, “she said.
Adut Daniel Chol, the executive director of the federation of women lawyers in South Sudan, emphasised the importance of coming up with mechanisms to bring justice to the victims.
‘‘In some cases, politics prevails over the rule of law, where you find that the law is compromised by the politicians, and we have experience with a number of cases dying in court,’’ she said.
The Commission said the failure of political elites to deal with security sector reform and to provide for the very basic needs of armed forces on all sides contributes to a permissive environment in which South Sudanese women are regarded as currency.
Near-universal impunity for rape and sexual violence makes it highly unlikely that perpetrators will ever be held accountable. Humanitarian aid workers, women’s defenders, and civil society organisations supporting survivors also often find themselves targeted by armed groups.
The report stated that the government of South Sudan has the primary obligation to end impunity for serious crimes. The commission has noted the recent government initiatives to address sexual violence in conflict, including establishing a special court and holding military justice proceedings.
“The Commission welcomes these measures, but they remain woefully inadequate given the scale and extent of crimes,’’ she remarked.
