South Sudan to establish FemWise-Africa chapter

Participants at the FemWise-Africa worshop in Juba on 01 November 2022. [Photo: Radio Tamazuj]

Plans are underway to establish the FemWise-Africa South Sudan Chapter in the Republic of South Sudan, the minister of gender and social welfare said on Tuesday.

Minister Ayaa Benjamin Warrile revealed the plans while addressing participants at the closing of a three-day workshop on strategic thinking and dialogue organized by the African Union Mission in South Sudan (AUMISS) in Juba.

FemWise–Africa is a Network of African Women in Conflict Prevention and Mediation, and a subsidiary mechanism on the panel of the Wise, one of the critical pillars of the peace and Security Architecture of the African Union (APSA).

"We are looking forward to the establishment of FemWise South Sudan. And hopefully when we establish FemWise South Sudan Chapter, is when we will complement our efforts. We are more than happy to be in partnership with FemWise-Africa and commit to continuously supporting our joint efforts," Minister Ayaa said. 

For his part, the AU Head of Mission in South Sudan Amb. Prof Joram Biswaro said once the FemWise South Sudan Chapter is established, it will help collate the database for women leaders in South Sudan.

"FemWise-South Sudan Chapter once established and operational could save to collate the database of women leaders and practitioners that the government can utilize as professional mediators. FemWise- South Sudan will be an effective contributor to the implementation of tracts instead of engaging others from outside; you will be at the center of it, you own it, you control it," stated Biswaro.

Amb. Biswaro added, "I urge all political stakeholders to seize this unique opportunity to recognize the South Sudan FemWise Network as a major contributor of effective voices of women in achieving peace."

Maggie Lowilla a participant in the three-day workshop said, "As FemWise-South Sudan we envision a free, fair, and just South Sudan where there is sustainable peace and development, women are supported and protected to occupy leadership positions at all levels. Our mission is to establish a platform that fosters women empowerment, leadership, solidarity, and movement building to facilitate meaningful participation and engagement in conflict transformation to dialogue and mediation to advance the women's peace and security agenda in South Sudan." 

Mrs. Lowilla added that they will focus on getting involved in preventative diplomacy and engendering the security sector.   

The workshop was meant to engage women in South Sudan to come up with a joint roadmap and plan of action towards building and enhancing the FemWise Chapter of South Sudan as well as strategies for amplifying women's voices in the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

FemWise-Africa was established in 2017.