Empowering Women Influence

Women across South Sudan are demanding justice, equality, and leadership. We support them by empowering women advocates and civil society including chiefs to tackle gender-based violence, promote non-violent change, and foster inclusive peace. Women are essential peacebuilders and leaders, strengthening families and communities across all levels of society.

Harmful gender norms and very weak justice system in South Sudan continue to exclude women from peace processes and decision-making, while exposing them to conflict related and gender-based violence.

Empowering Women Influence is a three-year programme in South Sudan by PAX, which aims to empower women to take over leadership positions and end gender-based violence. The program targets seven states across South Sudan. The project is financially supported by the German Federal Foreign Office and is implemented by six partners.

PAX country director for South Sudan, Emmanuel Ira, explains the project’s aims to protect women from gender-based violence and to empower women to enhance peace in their communities: ‘This programme is going to strengthen the capacity of women leaders to jointly influence legislation, judiciary reforms, and sustainable peace to enhance female leadership in the country and at all levels.’

Empower women, build South Sudan

Background

The Empowering Women Influence-project integrates the United Nations’ Women, Peace and Security-agenda and nonviolent peacebuilding through gender-responsive, locally led initiatives and stronger legal frameworks and it’s practical implementation bridging the governance and justice gaps. It empowers women at national, state, and grassroots levels to shape legislation, justice reforms, and peacebuilding efforts.

Through capacity building, technical training, and collaboration among women parliamentarians, women-led civil society organizations, and grassroots groups, participants gain the skills and confidence to advocate against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and promote nonviolent solutions. These exchanges enable women in leadership to connect with community realities, while grassroots women recognize their agency and influence in policy and peace efforts.

PAX and partners gender-sensitive and nonviolent peacebuilding initiatives move beyond creating women’s safe spaces or supporting survivors of conflict related and sexual violence. By aligning advocacy and strengthening legal influence, women collectively drive inclusive reforms and foster sustainable peace – building a society where women’s voices are central to ending Sexual and Gender-Based Violence to achieve lasting stability in South Sudan in the long run.

PAX works with six national partners in five states including Central Equatoria (Juba & Yei), Eastern Equatoria (Torit & Kapoeta), Upper Nile (Malakal and Bentiu), Lakes (Yirol), Unity (Ganyiel), and Warrap (Kuajok & Tonj).

EWI training continues amidst crisis

Through a training programme focused on lobby-advocacy skills, trauma healing and national and international legal frameworks for female lawyers in Juba South Sudan and for local women advocacy groups in periphery areas of South Sudan, participants commit themselves to shape judicial reforms and peacebuilding in their country.