JUBA — The South Sudan government has pledged to strengthen the protection of girls from forced marriage, gender-based violence, and other forms of abuse, urging communities to report cases and cooperate with law enforcement.
Speaking during the girls’ rights conference in Juba on Thursday, Major-Gen. James Dak Karlo, Director of the Special Protection Unit at the Ministry of Interior, said his unit is working to tackle gender-based violence, forced marriage, and abuse of vulnerable people.
“We are mandated to eradicate the impunity of sex- or gender-based violence. Conflict related to gender-based violence. Early marriage and forced marriage,” Dak said.
Gen. Dak said women and children remain among the most vulnerable groups and called for increased public awareness through radio programs, talk shows, and community outreach initiatives.
He said one of the biggest obstacles facing girls is a traditional belief that a daughter represents wealth for her family.
“The girl child is one of our biggest problems in southern Sudan. Thinking must change, because educated girls can contribute far more to her family and country,” he said.
“If you get the child, he will bring more wealth than the cattle. Because she will become a doctor, she will become an engineer, and she will become a pilot. She even can go to the moon.”
Gen. Karlo said education is key to helping girls understand and defend their rights.
“Unless our ladies go to school, let them be educated because there’s no way. We cannot eradicate this unless through education.”
He urged families to support girls’ education and called for stronger cooperation between government institutions, communities, civil society, and the media.
“Let us encourage our female child. Let them go to education. And let us make advocacy.”
Jane Kidan Jackson, Director General at the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, said girls’ rights are protected under South Sudan’s 2011 Constitution.
“Every girl deserves rights. And every girl deserves and must enjoy their human rights wherever they are as per the constitution of the Republic of South Sudan 2011.”
Kidan said girls should be given the opportunity to learn, share their experiences, and participate in shaping the future of the country.
“Girls have the right and should have every opportunity to learn, to meet, to share their experiences, and to shape the future that she wants to see.”
She acknowledged that many girls still face violence, poverty, exclusion from education, and forced marriage.
“Many girls are still out of school. Still, we have forced marriages happening in our communities.”
She also raised concern about the limited number of women in leadership despite the country’s 35 percent affirmative action policy.
Kidan urged girls and young women to acquire education and skills so they can take part in decision-making and compete for leadership positions.
“The only thing that you have to do is what? Educate yourself. Let us create spaces where girls can speak for themselves and be taken seriously within our communities.”
She also called on parents and community leaders to create safe spaces where girls can speak and have their views respected.
She challenged media organizations to use their platforms to promote girls’ rights and expose harmful practices.
“To the media houses, let us all advocate for the right of girls, for empowerment.”
Kidan warned against allowing such discussions to end with speeches and recommendations without concrete action.
“Let us move beyond conversation. Let us move beyond workshops. Let us look into actions that will help our girls, that will help our leadership, and that will help South Sudan.”
The conference brought together government officials, police, civil society organizations, media representatives, and girls and young women to discuss ways of strengthening the protection and participation of girls.
The conference was organized by the Global Voices Organization to develop recommendations aimed at strengthening girls’ rights, protection, and participation in decision-making.
The message from the conference was direct: a girl should not be treated as wealth to be exchanged through marriage. She should be seen as an investment in South Sudan’s future.
