Minister of Gender, Child and Social welfare Aya Benjamin Warrille speaking during a press conference in Juba on Tuesday, 24th Oct 2023. Photo credit: Charles Wote/Eye Radio

The national Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare has called for action to support women and girls in rural areas to enhance access to improved agriculture and food production in the country.

Aya Benjamin Warrile made the remark as the country prepares to mark the International Day of Rural Women on Wednesday, October 24.

She says one of the objectives of the day is to promote local products for the value chain and create awareness of the impact of negative cultural norms and practices on women and girls.

“The overall objective for this year’s celebration is to enhance sustainable agriculture across South Sudanese rural women and girls, to advocate for women’s access to improved agriculture and food production, to promote local products for the value chain,” Minister Aya said during a joint press conference in Juba.

“Create awareness on the impact of negative cultural norms and practices on women and girls in rural areas and also to showcase South Sudan women’s economic activities across the country and expose them to potential markets.”

The national theme for this year is “advocate for women living in rural areas to own land and produce more food.”

Minister Aya however says the call for action to end harmful cultural practices that deny women land ownership, finance and control over resources.

“This is a call for action to support women living in rural areas to put an end to harmful cultural practices that affect women in the country. Issues of land ownership, finance and control over resources, we do that through advocacy and strong policies to lift up our women by doing so the whole community will be transformed,”  said Aya.

The 1^st  International Day of Rural Women was observed on 15 October 2008.

It was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 2007 to recognise “the critical role and contribution of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty.”

The resolution also urges the Member States, in collaboration with the organizations of the United Nations and civil society to implement measures that improve rural women’s lives.

This year the UN urges governments and society to pay attention to the needs and invest in rural women, pursuing political and socio-economic empowerment and supporting their full and equal participation in decision-making at all levels.