In a statement, the CEPO said a survey conducted through its Women Status Initiative (SOWI) found that the 35 percent affirmative action granted by the revitalized peace agreement signed in 2018 has improved women representation in the states for the first time since independence.
“Following the Reconstitution of the states and administrative areas transitional legislative assemblies, Community Empowerment for Progress Organization program of Women Status Initiative (SOWI) has conducted quick survey on women representation in the state legislative assembly’s leadership of outstanding committees,” the CEPO statement said.
“SOWI quick survey finds out that women representation in the leadership of state legislative assemblies outstanding committees leadership have better improved under the affirmative action of 35% for women granted by the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan,” it added.
The advocacy organization said that women haven’t been elected to speakership of state legislative assembly since the independence, but there are three speakers and deputy speakers in three of South Sudan’s ten states, something it said is a great improvement since independence.
“Since independence women have not taken seat of State legislative assembly speaker and deputy speaker at the same but now three states namely Lakes, Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Jonglei women are both Speakers and Deputy Speakers of state legislative assemblies while in Western Equatoria state women is the Speaker and Eastern Equatoria state women is the deputy speaker of state legislative assembly,” the statement said.
“Secondly, it is for the first time women were able to increase their role in leading state legislative assemblies outstanding committees chairpersons and deputy chairpersons although states legislative assemblies violated the ratio of 35% for women representation but in total women representation in chairing and deputizing state legislative assemblies outstanding committees have better improved in comparison to the period from 2011 till 2013 from 10% representation to 31% representation,” the statement added.
It said that the initiative “realized that women have good representation in chairing or deputizing state legislative assemblies’ outstanding committees on peace and security committee, Gender and Human Rights committee among others. In some states legislative assemblies’ men were chairpersons of Gender committee which is good sign of mainstreaming gender. SOWI will be working with other partners on strengthening the capacities of the women who were appointed at positions of speakers, deputy speakers, chairpersons and deputy chair persons of state legislative assemblies’ outstanding committees.”
Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of CEPO said “SOWI program advocacy and lobby have worked and won influence on matters of improving women representation in state government political leadership at executive and legislative levels. It was great experiences of effective advocacy ad influence on the political parties to enforce women participation and representation in the state government level.”
He said that the initiative “has already designed program for rolling out trainings for the women political leaders in the state government both executive and legislative levels. The trainings will be in coordination with relevant government institutions and development partners from the month of August to October 2022.
“CEPO Women Magazine called Voice of Women September issue will be dedicated to Women Leadership in the State and Society.”