Women 'Press for Progress'
Channel: UNMISS VIDEOS
Date: 16/03/2018

STORYLINE
Mimicking live news broadcasts, journalism club students from a primary school in South Sudan’s capital Juba, highlighted the plight of the country’s women, at an event held to mark the international women’s day.

A tinge of somberness betrayed their dash of humour, as their voices echoed across the full auditorium, showcasing actual situations South Sudanese women have to deal with on a daily basis.
  
With music and dance marking the day, women and men, alike joined other performers in a colorful celebration in honour of South Sudan’s women.

Speaking at the day-long event, speaker after speaker paid tribute to South Sudan’s women highlighting the urgency and the crucial need to transform the lives of rural women and girls in the country. 
Speakers expressed their exhaustion in the country’s conflict, saying it was time to ‘Press for Progress’ as highlighted in the day’s global theme.

Their pleas were passionate.

SOUNDBITE (English) Awut Deng Acuil, Minister for Gender Child and Social Welfare
“Women of South Sudan are saying urgently, they want the conflict to end.  The message of women in South Sudan, they are saying time is now to silence the guns in South Sudan. The women of South Sudan are saying time is now to restore peace in South Sudan. Women of South Sudan are saying time is now to return our children in our refugee camps and end and close those camps.” 

Leading the call for the progress of women in the country, First Vice President Taban Deng Gai rallied on the need to develop the role of marginalized women. 

SOUNDBITE (English) First Vice President, South Sudan, Taban Deng Gai
“As we celebrate the international Women’s day, we should ponder on how women’s role can be enhanced in peacemaking process in the Republic of South Sudan, both as a peacemaker and peacebuilder- how women’s participation in the political arena and other spheres of leadership is supported.” 

Acknowledging the strength and resilience of the country’s women, while at the same time announcing the launch of a national essay competition aimed at advocating for the importance of women and girls in South Sudan’s peace process, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for South Sudan, said women are the backbone of the country and can contribute to ending war and building durable peace.  

SOUNDBITE (English) David Shearer, Special Representative of the Secretary General for South Sudan 
“Women and girls of these areas have suffered so much from the conflict. Many have lost their lives. Many have been targeted by violence, particularly sexual violence. Millions have been displaced from their homes and many have been forced into early or even unwanted marriage and denied adequate access to food, clean water, health care and most importantly as most have said today educational opportunities. It is the girls and women of this country who bear the greatest burden in conflict.”

At the event, a cross-section of women entrepreneurs who are being supported by different non-governmental organizations and the government, took the chance to exhibit and sell some of their wares. 
ENDS.