Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba during the Women's Leadership Conference held from 25th to 27th June in Juba. (Courtesy of Concern)

Juba, Central Equatoria (Eye Radio) – Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba has strongly urged the Ministry of Gender and Social Welfare to accelerate the approval of both the Anti-Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Bill and the Family Law for immediate enactment by the National Legislature.

Speaking at the Women Leaders Conference in Juba on Wednesday, June 25, Speaker Nunu emphasized the critical importance of passing these gender-sensitive laws to safeguard women’s rights across the nation.

She assured attendees that the National Parliament is prepared to prioritize these two vital pieces of legislation.

“We want all the laws sensitive to gender issues, such as the gender equality act, including anti-gender-based violence laws and the family law, to be enacted and passed to protect women,” Speaker Nunu stated.

“These laws are still at the initial stages, and we in parliament are waiting, and we are urging the Ministry of Gender and the Cabinet to pass these laws to us in parliament so that we can enact them. This is the right time.”

Speaker Nunu further highlighted the urgency of fast-tracking these legal frameworks before the end of the transitional period, citing potential risks during the upcoming elections.

“We are waiting; the process of taking these anti-gender-based violence and other related laws to parliament should be accelerated,” she added.

“This needs to be passed before the end of the transition, as you know, with elections there will be election violence, threatening of women candidates who want to contest, so we need these legal frameworks in place to protect women.”