South Sudan women call for gender equality to reduce levels of violence

JUBA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- South Sudanese women on Thursday called for gender equality within key peace mechanisms to expedite peace implementation and help reduce levels of violence.

Unaisi Lutu Vuniwaqa, head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) police peacekeepers, said more women should take the lead in pushing for lasting peace, since they have had positive impact on the realization of the peace in the country following the signing of the revitalized peace agreement in September last year in Ethiopia.

"As we are fast approaching the end of the pre-transitional period, I request all parties to increase efforts in appointing qualified and ready women and work with men side by side to achieve more," she told a panel discussion in Juba ahead of Friday's International Women's Day.

Vuniwaqa said the government should ensure gender mainstreaming in all institutions and at all levels.

Nunu Kumba, secretary general of the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement party (SPLM), acknowledged the positive contribution of women in the peace process, and urged more women to participate in politics.

"It's also good we have the support of the international community to make sure that this (peace) thing is implemented," she said.

Vuniwaqa, of UNMISS, said there should be more female peacekeepers within UNMISS, because they are crucial to the sustenance of peace and security in South Sudan.

"The presence of female peacekeepers make actual difference on the ground not only by enabling our mission to being more approachable, inclusive to the most vulnerable groups of our society," she said.

Vuniwaqa noted that women and girls continue to be victims of conflict-related sexual violence in South Sudan despite the signing of the peace agreement.

According to a gender-based violence information management system, in 2017 alone, 2,297 cases of gender-based violence survivors were reported and 13 percent of the reported cases were rape and the rest sexual assaults. Enditem