Participants during anti-GBV workshop|Photo by Nyathon Willian

Minister of Gender, Child, and Social Welfare has challenged experts to address the delays in advancing the Anti-Gender-Based Violence Bill to the cabinet.

Aya Warile made these remarks at an advocacy workshop focused on the Anti-GBV Bill and related legislation aimed at strengthening gender equality initiatives. The event took place on Tuesday, October 29, in Juba.

The workshop sought to bolster support for anti-GBV legislative frameworks and mobilize key stakeholders in advancing protections against gender-based violence.

The Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare emphasized the urgency of prioritizing the bill to strengthen protections and support for survivors across the country.

The bill has undergone several reviews and studies but has not been presented to the cabinet to find its way to the parliament.

Aya says she expected the bill to take a shorter time after the parliament ratified the Maputo protocol

According to her, the stakeholders had agreed on most of the articles to be in cooperated in the bill which aligns with international commitments to gender equality and women’s rights.

He says no big problem that could hinder the progress and strongly recommended collaboration among experts who understand both the legal language and the implications of the anti-GBV bill.

“Let’s see what we can get from this anti-GBV bill so that we can have it in the Council of Ministers. It shouldn’t be a big problem after we ratified the Maputo Protocol.

“It shouldn’t be a big thing because most of the articles we have agreed on are already what we are asking”, said Minister Aya.

Aya called for constructive dialogue rather than blame saying this can foster a more productive environment for decision-making.

She said the ultimate goal is to move the bill through the Council of Ministers and Parliament.

“I encourage all of us to be objective, let’s not blame, but find new ways. What is it that we can do differently as stakeholders to see that anti-GBV bill finds its way to the Council of Ministers and also to the Parliament so that it’s passed into law”, she said.

Aya also voiced frustrations over the ongoing delays and challenges to finalize the family law which she said has also taken long.

“Family law has always been an issue, and let’s make sure that it is finalized. It has taken so long, and it’s not difficult. If there people are making it so difficult, let’s also be flexible, so that we can have it finalized because we can always review our laws,” she added.

On his part, the Executive Director of the Christian Agency for Peace and Development, Peter Malir Biar emphasizes the importance of penal courts and constitutional protections for women and girls

Mr. Malir call for immediate action and innovative strategies to address the challenges hindering commitments to advancing women’s rights.