Hon. Aya Warille, the Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare [left], and Sarah Cleto Rial, the Governor Western Bahr el Ghazal State [right] talking to the media recently at Juba International Airport before heading to USA for the 66th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women - courtesy

Several national and state government female officials have left for the US to participate in a conference aimed at discussing the status of women among member states.

Among the team are Aya Warile, the Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare and Sara Cleto, the governor of Western Bahr el Ghazal.

The women leaders will be representing the country in the 66 session of the UN Convention on the Status of Women in New York, United States of America.

The conference will highlight the UN instruments on the promotion of women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Representatives of UN entities, accredited non-governmental organizations from all regions of the world are also expected to attend the session.

Speaking upon their departure at Juba International Airport yesterday, the national Minister of Gender and Social Welfare, Aya Warile said she is leading a group of South Sudanese women’s leaders to a conference that will be held in New York.

“The Ministry of Minister of Gender and Social Welfare is leading a delegation to New York to attend the UN convention on status of women and this is 66 sessions. The delegation consists of female Governors, deputy governors and three Ministries,” Aya said.

The conference this year will be under the theme “Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes”

The forum was established by a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council in June 1946.