Women organizations, Human Rights and Civil Society groups are calling on IGAD to appoint a high level gender advisor to the South Sudan peace process.

A woman activist, Santina Sadia, says they acknowledge the effort made so far by the warring parties on the complexity of the formation of the transitional government of national unity.

“As women of South Sudan, we constructively challenge all of you to seriously show your commitment to meaningful women participation by immediately appointing a high level gender adviser to the IGAD – led South Sudan peace process whose main responsibility is to advise the chief negotiators and the special envoy on gender with special attention to women’s issues and priorities and how these can be fully integrated into the negotiations, the subsequent peace agreement and the implementation of the peace agreement. Ms Sadia told the media in Juba.

For her part, the Executive Director of Eve Organization for women development, Rita Martin, said women of South Sudan are committed to a comprehensive resolution to the conflict in the country.

“When women walk on the street, when women talk about women issues, we meant it; it’s not just that women want to be out there talking but we mean business and we want to see it realized not because we just want a high level but a serious gender issue in South Sudan that need to be address.”

In April this year, women groups had sent a letter to different actors including IGAD, AU and Troika to appoint a female mediator to the South Sudan peace talks.