USAID Implementing Partners speak on Eye Radio's Dawn Show. Nov. 2024. (Photo: Awan Moses/Eye Radio).

USAID’s implementing partners have reiterated calls for an end to violence against women and girls in South Sudan, as the country marks 16 Days of Activism against Gender Bases Violence on Monday.

According to the World Health Organization, globally, one in three women experience either intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence during their lifetime.

In South Sudan, cases of gender-based violence are widespread – with a significant increase in the number of cases reported during the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking on Eye Radio’s Dawn Show on November 25, the U.S. agency’s implementing partners said women and girls should be protected and respected in the country.

Boboya James, a senior technical advisor with Sustainable Independent Media Activity, or (SIMA), call for collective efforts to end GBV in South Sudan.

“We need to continue to promote the women voice in South Sudan,” he said on Eye Radio’s Dawn Show.

“We need to continue to build leadership around women-like initiatives, and we should continue to support initiatives like the media, where you produce a lot of content and begin to increase talks, outreach, roundtable discussion of these topics.”

Mr. Boboya said there should be dialogue with government officials to engage them in taking up their responsibilities of implementing some of the laws and policies.

“Awareness in community level is very important, a lot of funding is going to local organizations to be able to capitalize on this GBV related issues in the communities.”

Sexual and gender-based violence is any act that is committed against a person’s will and is based on gender norms and unequal power relationships.

It encompasses threats of violence and coercion, and can be physical, emotional, psychological, or sexual, and can take the form of a denial of resources or access to services.

On her part, Gloria George, a Gender Based Violence Officer with UNICEF, says for GBV to end in the country, there is need for collective efforts.

“One hand cannot do it, so everybody needs to come on board and we see how this GBV really comes to an end.”

“We have to create an environment that women and girls, even men and boys are able to move freely, are able to interact, are able to say what is in their mind and have the positive change that we need.”

Caroline Hlatywayo is a gender specialist of the Resilience through Agriculture Activity, (RASS). She said communities need to be empowered to do away with cases of GBV in the country.

“Let us work on strengthening local capacity and community engagement. We need to empower communities to identify and address the root causes of GBV and leverage their inside into social, cultural and economic factor.”

For her part, Museme Munira, USAID’s Gender Specialist said realizing the importance of working together and collaborating across different institutions, stakeholders, development partners and women and girls is key to winning the war on GBV.

“This is something that affects all of us, and for many nations that have moved ahead in dealing with issues of reducing GBV and focusing on empowering all sections of society have had very great progress. We would like to see that in South Sudan that we have progress.”

The 16 days of activism against gender-based violence is an annual campaign that begins on 25 November.

It begins on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and runs through International Human Rights Day on 10 December.