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SSD WOMEN CALL FOR ACTION BEYOND POLICIES.

 The Ministry of Gender Calls for Holistic Empowerment of Women

Representing the government, Joyce Ayoub, Program Assistant at the National Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, officially opened the conference with a message of both encouragement and challenge.

She commended women’s active participation in peace processes 

 including those serving in uniform but urged that empowerment must go beyond symbolic representation.

“We have women in uniform and women in leadership, but what else are we aiming to achieve?” Ayoub asked. “We must now move from policy to empowerment. Are women participating in all levels of government institutions? Are they given the recognition and authority their positions deserve?”

Ayoub stressed that women’s empowerment must be multidimensional, encompassing financial, educational, and political dimensions.

“We need to empower women financially, educationally, and politically,” she said. “If a woman is not empowered financially or politically, she may not have the potential to influence change. We cannot achieve equality if we are not standing in the same shoes.”

She also called on women-led organizations, the UN, and development partners to continue supporting women’s empowerment initiatives across the country.

“I am appealing to all women-led organizations and our international partners to support empowerment in every form,” she said. “Because if we are not empowered financially, politically, or educationally, we will continue crying that women are left behind.”

Ayoub concluded her remarks by declaring the Women, Peace and Security Conference officially open, expressing optimism that the discussions would generate new ideas and actionable recommendations for advancing women’s rights and participation in South Sudan.

The conference was organized by YWCA South Sudan in partnership with Oxfam and the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, providing a platform for stakeholders to evaluate the country’s progress and chart a collective way forward for inclusive peace and development.

The Executive Director of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) South Sudan), Modi Mbaraza, has called on women leaders, civil society actors, and policymakers to move beyond written commitments and translate the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda into practical actions that advance women’s empowerment and participation in peacebuilding.

Speaking during the Women, Peace and Security Conference held in Juba under the theme “From Policy to Power”, Mbaraza emphasized the need to critically reflect on South Sudan’s progress in implementing the global WPS framework, 25 years after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

“The Women, Peace, and Security agenda is one crucial thing for us as women in South Sudan,” said Mbaraza. “We are here today to look at what we have achieved so far and how far we have gone. We need to question ourselves in different areas.”

The conference brought together women-led organizations, international partners, and government representatives to assess progress, share lessons, and identify actions needed to strengthen women’s role in peacebuilding and decision-making.

Mbaraza praised the 35% affirmative action policy for women’s representation as a major milestone but challenged participants to go beyond numbers and push for meaningful participation.

“We talk about the 35% affirmative action, which is a positive move for women’s participation in decision-making,” she said. “But today, we are coming to analyze and question ourselves — are we really there? Have we achieved what we set out to achieve after South Sudan ratified these commitments?”

She added that it was time for women to “pull up their socks” and push for tangible results, particularly as the nation marks 25 years since the adoption of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda.

Oxfam Reaffirms Commitment to Women, Peace and Security Agenda

Representing Oxfam, Sharon Mairyunu, the Gender and Protection Coordinator at Oxfam South Sudan Country Office, reaffirmed Oxfam’s ongoing commitment to supporting women’s rights organizations and advancing the WPS agenda.

“As Oxfam, we are excited to be part of this important conversation,” Mairyunu said. “This is the 25th year of the Women, Peace and Security agenda — a good time to reflect on what has been done and what still needs to be done. But importantly, we must be brutally honest with each other about what really needs to change.”

She noted that with the 2026 elections approaching, there is an urgent need to ensure women can freely and safely participate in political and peace processes.

“As we approach 2026, an election year, we must ask ourselves: how will women freely participate, and how can their role in peacebuilding be significantly acknowledged?” she said.

Mairyunu emphasized that gender-based violence (GBV), including emerging forms such as digital gender-based violence, continues to hinder women’s participation and must be addressed for the WPS agenda to succeed.

“As long as we continue to tolerate gender-based violence and fail to commit to legal instruments addressing it, it becomes too difficult to advance the Women, Peace, and Security agenda,” she warned.

She reaffirmed Oxfam’s dedication to working at national and state levels with women’s rights groups, policymakers, and international partners to ensure that future reviews of the WPS agenda show “more significant gains than losses.”