A New Generation of Women Leaders Is Inspiring Change in South Sudan

Wau, South Sudan – Awrelia knows what it’s like to be silenced.

Born into a family that didn’t believe in educating girls, she had to stay home while her brothers went to school. Only when she moved to Khartoum with her uncle did she get a chance to study, though not for long.

“I was forced into marriage at 14,” Awrelia shares. “Even before then, some relatives scolded me just for going to school. I fought to finish primary school, but I couldn’t go any further.”

Even so, she never gave up on the value of education – especially for her daughters. “I hope they grow up to be responsible and successful women leaders. Something has to change for girls.”

Women’s group members in Wau meet to share experiences, support one another, and strengthen their leadership skills. (Photo: IOM/Geoffrey Sauke)

In South Sudan, where conflict and deeply entrenched gender norms have shaped life for generations, change comes slowly – yet women like Awrelia are leading it with courage and determination. A widowed mother of eight, she has spent years raising her children alone, often under difficult and uncertain conditions.

“Their father died when they were very young. My eldest was still in primary school,” Awrelia recounts. “I’ve been raising them alone ever since.”

In her daily life, Awrelia constantly navigates complex family dynamics, scarcity, and stigma, but she keeps going. “People expect us to endure silently. Even when women try to seek help, no one responds.”

In public spaces, the challenges are even greater. Awrelia describes how women are often dismissed or ignored. “They say we’re just women, as if our voices don’t matter,” she says. “I kept quiet for years because I was afraid to speak up.”

This women’s group in Wau is part of an initiative that has provided leadership training to nearly 1,400 women across South Sudan. (Photo: IOM/Geoffrey Sauke)

But even before she spoke out, Awrelia was leading in her own way – fighting for her children’s education and holding her family together. That strength deepened when she joined a women’s leadership training organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Wau.

The training is part of IOM’s gender-transformative recovery programme – part of a broader, locally led effort to strengthen women’s leadership and ensure their participation in community decisions. Across South Sudan, women’s groups and grassroots movements have long been laying the groundwork for change. The five-day course builds on that momentum, offering women a safe space to reflect, learn, and grow together.

“I learned that being a leader means treating others fairly and solving problems with patience,” she says. “The training gave me courage to stand up for myself. Now I know I can lead.”

Across South Sudan, IOM’s initiative helps women build confidence, develop leadership skills, and take active roles in their communities. (Photo: IOM/Geoffrey Sauke)

Back in her community, she put her new confidence into action. Her local women’s group had nearly collapsed, but she brought it back together. Now they meet regularly to support one another and share their challenges.

Though they lack funding for income-generating activities like sewing or catering, the group offers something equally powerful: solidarity. “Some of us still can’t even sign our names. We want to learn. We want to stand on our own. But even without money, we lift each other in hard times and celebrate together in good ones.”

In many displacement-affected areas of South Sudan, women head up to 80 per cent of households. Their leadership is essential to ensuring that assistance reaches families in ways that truly meet their needs. When women are empowered to lead, communities become stronger, and long-term solutions such as stable housing, livelihoods, and access to services are more likely to succeed.

Since the initiative began in 2022, nearly 1,400 women from internally displaced, returnee, and host communities across five locations have taken part in the training. Many have gone on to lead peer groups, help resolve local conflicts, and speak up for women’s rights in places where their voices were once ignored.

After joining an IOM-led women’s leadership training, Awrelia found the confidence to revive her local women’s group. (Photo: IOM/Amber Christino)

In Wau, Bentiu, Malakal, and other areas where IOM runs the programme, more women are stepping forward. Those who once stayed silent now speak up at meetings, support survivors of violence, and build networks to share experiences and grow together.

Facilitators – many of them displaced women themselves – have become trusted figures in their communities. “People come to us for advice and support,” says one facilitator. “We talk to women about their rights and they listen.”

Awrelia has noticed a change in how she is perceived. “People recognize me now,” Awrelia says. “During a meeting with chiefs and women leaders, they mentioned my name and honoured me in front of everyone. It made me feel proud. The women I lead respect me, and I respect them.”

Still, Awrelia knows there’s more to be done. Many women are still waiting for the same chance she had. “I wish every woman could attend this training,” she says. “We try to share what we’ve learned, but it’s not enough. We need more support and more opportunities for women to lead.”

From homes to community halls, women like Awrelia are finding their voices and reshaping what the future can look like – for their daughters, their families, and their country.

The women’s leadership training is part of IOM’s programme funded by the European Union through its Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA).

This story was written by Amber Christino, Communications Officer with IOM South Sudan.

Source: https://storyteller.iom.int/stories/new-generation-women-leaders-inspiring-change-south-sudan