Putting the latest peace deal into real effect across South Sudan must include addressing “in a stronger manner, the challenges facing women and girls”, said the UN’s leading voice for gender equality.
The delegation’s there to express solidarity with the people and leadership of the country, in support of the peace agreement signed early last month in Addis Ababa by President Salva Kiir and his former deputy and political rival, Riek Machar.
Speaking after arriving in the capital, Juba, both UN Peacekeeping chief, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, and the head of the UN’s gender equality agency, UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, said there was a need to focus on those most affected by conflict – vulnerable women and children.
South Sudan’s development has been stunted by ongoing conflict over the past five years, but there is hope that the new deal will stem the tide of violence across the country, which has resulted in the displacement of more than four million people.
“We are currently at a time where the emphasis has to be put on the implementation of the revitalized peace agreementю We are ready to help, we are ready to support and at the same time ready to say that it is very important to take time…for the implementation to be inclusive,” said Jean-Pierre Lacroix.
While there has been some skepticism about whether the political will exists to implement the peace agreement, the international community hopes that the government and opposition parties will compromise to enable peace to prosper.
“We want to be sure that all negotiations going forward must include women in a substantive way. Women need to be supported and protected…but women are also decision makers in their own rights, so it is important to hear their voices,” said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women.
Original source: United Nations
Published on 8 October 2018
