Participants learned how to influence policy and public opinion, with special attention to bridging the gap between formal legislation and traditional practices. The final training centered on reforms in the judiciary, national and international legal protections for women and children.
Sharing knowledge and strengthening communities
John William, a project officer at PAX, emphasized the importance of understanding international and regional legal instruments to achieve goals. ‘This training provides space to learn together, build friendships, and create a strong network that can share this knowledge with communities,’ he said.
Martina Kani, project leader at EWI, highlighted the project’s inclusive approach, with 60% women and 40% men, including ‘He for She’ allies. She urged participants to use their new knowledge to drive legal and social change and announced follow-up courses on psychosocial support and trauma counseling.
From Law to Practice: Addressing Harmful Traditions
Trainer Amanya Joseph noted that many harmful customs persist due to ignorance of rights. He praised the progress made in South Sudan in increasing women’s political participation but warned that current capacity is still too limited to be truly effective. ‘Knowledge is the most important tool,’ he said, calling on participants to inform women and engage men in constructive dialogue.
Trainer Merlyn Amoi emphasized that training civil society organizations works like a ripple effect: ‘If I train one person, that person can train others, strengthening awareness throughout the entire community.’ However, Amoi also acknowledges that training alone is not enough. She points, for example, to the social harm caused by high bride prices, where women are treated as property, exacerbating inequality and violence.
Participants: Equipped and Inspired
Many participants, some of whom grew up outside South Sudan or in different regions, said the training filled gaps in their knowledge of national history and the constitution, equipping them with practical advocacy strategies.
Anne Waweru, one of the participants and head of programs at Tukul Africa, shared after the training that the workshops will help her support grassroots women in drafting policy briefs and engaging political actors.
PAX in South Sudan
We have been working in South Sudan since 1994 on peacebuilding and conflict transformation. We organized the training as part of Empowering Women Influence, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office. The EWI project amplifies the voices of women at local and national levels.
