This week, the world celebrated the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls. The theme of the celebrations was ‘Promote Peace at Home and Stop Violence Against Women’.
For South Sudan, these celebrations are very crucial as gender-based violence is something that affects the whole South Sudan society. According to one government official, an assessment report published in 2010 revealed that 70% of women in the country had experienced some form of domestic violence.
Recently, different reports by human rights organizations and civil society have revealed that cases of sexual and gender-based violence had worsened since conflict broke out in 2013 in Juba, and spread to other parts of the country, after there was a disagreement between soldiers loyal to President Salva Kiir and those loyal to fomer Vice President Riek Machar.
According to Reliefweb, an online source for humanitarian information, the current conflict has seriously exacerbated the problem, with physical violence, domestic violence, early and forced marriage as well as sexual violence being reported across the country.
It says that more than half of young women aged 15-24 years in South Sudan have suffered some form of gender based violence. Based on the reported incidents of gender-based violence, 97% of the survivors are female whilst 3% are male.
Fighting gender-based violence requires concerted efforts by all
Fighting gender-based violence in a country like South Sudan requires concerted efforts by all concerned individuals and organizations. It will require the efforts of the government, non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations and the civil society. The fight musty start now and not later! This is so because gender-based violence undermines the health, dignity, security and autonomy of survivors, mostly women and girls.
But for this to succeed there is a need to change the attitude of citizens towards women and girls. As things stand now, South Sudan is a highly patriarchal society, a factor which contributes to the attitude that uplifts men at the expense of women.
Some of the cultural practices that promote this vice include forced marriages and domestic conflicts, and weak laws which fail to deter this barbaric practice. Even with good laws in place, what the society needs most is a cultural mind-shift that will make men to appreciate women as their equal partners in the society.
Since most of gender-based violence happens at home or in the grassroots, it is necessary to involve the elders in the process of trying to do away with some of the cultural practices that are demeaning to women. Any efforts that will not involve these major opinion shapers in cultural matters will be bound to fail.
If there is no peace at home, there will no peace in the country
If there is no peace at home, there will be no peace in the country. Peace in the country starts with peace at home. If only the men are enjoying peace while the women feel they have no room to grow and reach their full potential at home, then the peace that the men are enjoying would be elusive.
The Bible says in Colossians 3: 18-19: “Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them”.
This is a timely advice which if couples put it into practice, then the many cases of domestic violence against women will be no more. This requires men to show love and compassion to their wives. It requires patience and consideration on the part of men.
If men will treat their wives in this way, it goes without saying that women would be willing to submit to the leadership and authority of men because they will feel loved and appreciated for who they are. Their submission will be automatic.
Whereas laws are important and need to be in place, the most important change that we need in the country is a change that comes from the grassroots, a change that is not forced on the people. But all these changes need to happen now!
