Urban areas sensitized on gender-based violence (GBV), participants said at a workshop in Yambio, Western Equatoria State.
The workshop, which brought together more than 40 of the state’s key women leaders, also recommended holding a forum for men and women on GBV and enacting laws to protect both sexes.
Opening the activity, which commemorated 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence (from 25 November to 10 December), UNMISS Human Rights Officer Pilar de Cuesta said attention was being focused on GBV because women were suffering many atrocities.
“Together we can play a better role in raising this case before the state’s high authorities for an amicable solution,” Ms. de Cuesta said.
Brigade Nagomoro, commissioner of Ibba County, questioned why men were always abusing the rights of their female partners but were never held accountable. She suggested a forum be held between men and women to discuss solutions in ending the practice.
Ms. Nagomoro also noted that paying dowries made men feel they owned women and could do what they wished with them. “(We) want to urge the parents not to sell their daughters for money because … (husbands) will kill your daughters one day when conflict arises between them.”
A panelist at the workshop, Suzan Thomas, said women should be empowered and trained as leaders in their families and society. ““There is proverb that says that if you educate a women, you educate a nation.”
