A young girl receives a bag of sanitary kits from staff of the UN Women at the Juba Internally Displaced Persons Camp. (Photo: Malual Peter Atem).

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women with support from the Japanese government has donated dignity kits to women and girls in the Protection of Civilians site in Juba, or POC 3 Zone H.

At least 70 women and girls have benefited from the distribution.

The dignity kits included hygiene and sanitary items, as well as other items explicitly tailored towards the local needs of women and girls of reproductive age.

William Deng, the Executive Director of Asimo South Sudan says the dignity kits will help women and school girls walk freely and participate in their society.

“The issue of dignity kits is important for women because it allows them to participate fully in society. If a woman has it she will have the freedom to walk and do other things at the house level,” he said.

“These dignity kits are not only supporting women but they are supporting girls who are also studying in the school. You know in our country here some of the girls are missing school because of dignity kits and that is why we are promoting this kind of support.”

Meanwhile, Rukaya Mohammed, the UN women’s deputy country representative says the dignity kits were given as per the request made by the women in the POC site.

She says the project will also help women and girls get vaccinated.

“It is not just the dignity kits but this was identified based on the assessment they have done in the camp as a real need for the people. They have also visited the clinic where this project provided access to vaccines,” Rukaya said.

“You know people have this in mind, especially women, the uptake is very low something that they won’t get pregnant when they take the vaccine or they will die. So, they also raised awareness about the importance of the vaccine.”

One of the beneficiaries, Mary Peter said she is very happy to have received the dignity kit.

“I have got a lot of things that can help me like soap and other women’s things. My concern is those people who have not got today,” she said.

“I request our partners to increase the number of the dignity kits because people who have not received them can get them and be happy just like me.”