South Sudan women want input in the transitional constitution
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May 15, 2011 (JUBA) – South Sudanese women from across the ten states
of the region held a joint conference in Juba from Saturday to Sunday
and demanded significant participation in the next stage of the
constitutional process.
JPEG - 36.5 kb
South Sudanese women at a workshop in Juba (enough)
A coalition of the three main women organisations: the South Sudanese
Women General Association (SSWGA), South Sudan Women Empowerment
Network (SSWEN) and South Sudanese Women Lawyers (SSWL) drew hundreds
of women to Juba to consult on issues of gender and in particular,
their representation in the next transitional government from July and
the process of constitutionalism.
The consultative conference came a week after the draft of the
transitional constitution of the would-be Republic of South Sudan was
presented to the parliament for endorsement by 8 July 2011.
The document shall be signed into law by the president on 9 July 2011,
the day of the official declaration of independence, and shall be the
supreme law of the land for the next four years. The women raised
concerns over their insignificant participation in the drafting of the
document.
However, they pointed out that it was not too late for the their input
in the document, before it is finally passed by the legislative body.
The director for SSWEN and one of the main organisers, Lillian Riziq,
said the voice of the women could not be ignored given the fact that
they are the majority in South Sudan.
Olivia Lomoro, undersecretary of the ministry of health in the
Government of South Sudan (GoSS), in her statement during the
conference added that women should also lobby for the key positions
currently held by men at the state and GoSS level.
The draft constitution has stipulated that women shall be represented
by at least 25% in government. Currently seven out of 32 (22%) GoSS
ministers are women and the most senior position held by a woman is
held by Awut Deng Acuil in the ministry of labour and public services.
The transitional constitution was passed in its first reading by the
legislative assembly on the 7 May. It has been referred to various
specialised committees in the parliament in order to study it article
by article and section by section and recommend any necessary
amendments necessary during the second reading.
The public is equally advised to forward to their respective
constituency representatives constituencies in the parliament their
views for consideration. Several other political parties have
criticised the constitutional powers given to the president, including
the power to fire elected governors and dissolve elected parliaments.
The document is expected to be tabled before the parliament in the
first week of July for final reading.
(ST)
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