The Swedish ambassador to South Sudan has urged South Sudan leaders to end child marriage in an attempt to help realize a collective national developmental goal.
According to a report by the UN children’s agency, UNICEF, more than 650 million women alive today were married off before the age of 18.
In South Sudan, 58% of girls are married before 18 years of age, depriving them of their basic rights as children.
To tackle this, the government together with other partners are working to implement the strategic National Action plan to end child marriage by 2030.
In connection with this, a three-day chiefs’ conference commenced yesterday as part of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign to raise more awareness against GBV, its prevention and response.
Speaking during the conference, Ambassador Joachim Waern called on leaders to take lead in giving girls opportunities to end all forms of child abuse.
“The implementation of the strategic national action plan on ending child marriage is an important step and commitment for the government of South Sudan,” Ambassador Joachim Waern said.
“This action plan will be instrumental in reaching national development goals to those at individual and those at social level. However, to ensure effective and swift implementation, it’s important that this plan is consistently monitored and financed by the government.
“As traditional chiefs, you have a crucial role in this process. People are listening to your advice and that you will be a good role model to your children, your families and your communities.
“I urge the leaders of South Sudan to once and for all end child marriage in South Sudan.”
For her part, the Director General for the Ministry of Gender Child and Social Welfare – Regina Lullo – appealed to the chiefs to defend the rights of children…
“GBV actually is a serious issue. This is a matter of our future. Children are the future of South Sudan. The program of ending child marriage is at my heart. I would like to inform you that when children are married off very early, it’s a problem for the whole country. It is not for the child alone,” Regina said.
“When a girl is married off at a very early age, she will not be able to take care of the family and she will develop a fistula which will be a problem for the whole nation, for the whole community and this we want to avoid.
“As chiefs, paramount chiefs, this is our role to avoid having to make our children suffer in the future and cutting off their bright future which is planned for them by going to school. Education is the most important thing.”
In attendance are representatives of government and its development partners and more than 100 paramount chiefs from across the country.
The three-day conference was organized by the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, in partnership with UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.