FILE: VP Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior

A recent study on women’s representation in South Sudan’s Unity Government reveals that the overall participation of women in governance remains significantly below the targeted 35% threshold.

The research, conducted by the Center for Inclusive Governance, Peace, and Justice in 2023 and updated in December 2024, was supported by the Norwegian People’s Aid and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). It aims to influence policy on women’s political involvement.

The findings highlight a persistent gap between South Sudan’s commitments to gender equality—such as the affirmative action quota—and the actual representation of women in governance at all levels.

While the 35% target is still unmet, the study identifies progress in certain areas. Notably, women have achieved better representation in parliamentary committees and state parliaments.

Pibor and Ruweng Administrative Areas stand out with 27% female representation in state government, leading the country in gender inclusivity.

In contrast, states like Warrap, Unity, and Upper Nile remain far behind, with women accounting for just 11% of the state government.

National Executive: Gender gaps persist in key positions

At the national level, the research shows that women hold a significantly lower share of positions in the executive branch than the 35% target. Women occupy just 16% of positions in the Presidency, with only one female Vice President out of six.

The report stated that the Ministerial level fares somewhat better, with women making up 25% of the Cabinet (9 out of 35 Ministers), but the representation of women among Deputy Ministers is even lower, at 20% (2 out of 10).

This underrepresentation reflects a wider issue of political parties and the Reconstituted Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) often replacing women with men, despite their commitment to gender parity.

Legislative Branch: Declining Female Representation in the RTNLA

Women’s representation in the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly (RTNLA) has decreased to 31%, with 169 female MPs out of 550.

This decrease is partly due to the replacement of three appointed women MPs with men, bringing the total loss of female seats to 24.

Women also face challenges in leadership roles, with only 21% of Specialized Committees being chaired by women (7 out of 34), although women hold 37% of Deputy Chairperson positions. The removal of the female Chief Whip has further exacerbated gender imbalances in the legislature.

Council of States: Slight increase in female representation

In the Council of States, women’s representation has increased slightly to 30% (30 women out of 100 MPs). While one out of three Deputy Speaker positions is held by a woman, administrative roles such as Clerks remain entirely male-dominated.

Women also make up 31.58% of the National Constitutional Review Commission (NCRC) members, while they account for 40% of the Political Parties Council (PPC) and 22.22% of the National Election Commission (NEC).

State Government: Decline in female governors and deputies

At the state level, the representation of women has decreased significantly. The number of female Governors has dropped to 0%, following the removal of the female Governor of Western Bahr El Ghazal.

However, women still make up 30% of Deputy Governors in Jonglei, Eastern Equatoria, and Warrap states. Overall, women hold only 19% of state government positions, a slight decrease from the previous year.

Local Government: Marginal female representation

At the local level, women are extremely underrepresented. Only 3% of County Commissioner positions are held by women, and women make up 10% of State Advisors and 13% of Chairperson positions in Independent Commissions.

These figures illustrate the continued struggle for women to gain significant political power at the grassroots level.

Peacebuilding: Women’s role still limited in negotiations

While there has been some progress in peacebuilding mechanisms, women’s representation still falls short of the 35% target. In the High-Level Standing Committee (HLSC), women account for only 15% of the members (3 out of 19).

In the Tumaini Initiative delegation, the RTGoNU delegation includes 17% of women (3 out of 17 members), though stakeholder representation reaches 35% of women (5 out of 14). Despite these small gains, women remain underrepresented in key peace negotiations and mediations.

Call for robust policy enforcement

The research stresses that achieving gender equality in governance requires not only political will but also strong enforcement of affirmative action laws and the establishment of accountability mechanisms.

Addressing these systemic barriers—whether in political, sociocultural, or institutional spheres—will be crucial in ensuring that women’s representation in South Sudan’s governance structures reaches the desired 35% target.

Until then, the underrepresentation of women in decision-making bodies continues to hinder progress towards a more inclusive and gender-balanced society.