(L-R) Michael Atit, Adut Christina and Agnes Zera during a live broadcast on Eye Radio on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 – Credit: Darlington Moses/Eye Radio

Women entrepreneurs and rights activists are warning that excessive taxation and rampant gender-based violence (GBV) are the primary obstacles preventing the growth of women-owned enterprises in the capital.

Speaking on Eye Radio’s The Dawn show on Wednesday, April 15, Juba-based entrepreneur Agnes Zera highlighted that many small-scale businesses are shrinking or shutting down entirely due to multiple, often unexplained, taxes imposed by the City Council.

Zera further noted that cultural stigmas significantly impact female business owners. She explained that in many South Sudanese cultures, men often view a woman’s professional success with suspicion, sometimes leading to domestic violence. This physical and emotional abuse, she says, causes severe distress that hinders a woman’s ability to remain productive.

Human rights activist Adut Christina echoed these concerns, stating that the demands of running a business often clash with traditional domestic expectations.

“Gender-based violence is real because sometimes women have to stay at work until late in the night to earn a living. Coming home late, they face beatings or insults from their spouses. It weighs them down and impedes their ability to operate,” said Adut.

During the discussion, the women observed that the “double burden” of professional work and domestic responsibilities—such as cooking, childcare, and nursing sick relatives—further limits their capacity for business expansion.

“The City Council is one of the reasons why women are scaling down or staying home. The taxes are too high for someone doing something small. Money is collected for security, rubbish, and many taxes that have no names. This is why businesses are closing,” Agnes stated.

The conversation drew participation from the public, including a listener named Mama Flora, who urged the country to support female entrepreneurs. She described women as the “backbone of the country,” noting that income earned by women is directly reinvested into family nutrition, healthcare, and education.

The activists and entrepreneurs are now calling on the government and stakeholders to intervene by streamlining tax policies, eliminating violence against women, and providing business skills training to help women-led enterprises thrive.