Head of South Sudan women-led land rights advocacy group urges gov’t to pardon jailed women

JUBA – The Chairperson of South Sudan Land Alliance (SSuLA), a land rights woman-led organization in South Sudan, has called on the government to pardon women imprisoned for minor offenses to mark International Women’s Day and promote justice.

Dorothy Drabuga, who was speaking during the commemoration of the International Women’s Day in Juba yesterday, emphasized the importance of women’s land rights for achieving equality and sustainable development.

“The government must ensure that women and girls’ equal enjoyment of all human rights and participation in decision-making on land is the key to achieving land degradation neutrality,” Dorathy stated.

“Women’s land rights are critical to democracy, peace, justice, sustainable development and security for all,” she added.

She further stated that securing land rights for women would have far-reaching benefits, including improved living conditions, food sovereignty, better health, and increased economic opportunity.

Drabuga urged the government to address discriminatory laws and social norms that hinder women’s access to and ownership of land.

“The government must urgently change the laws and social norms which impose barriers to women’s rights to own and access land, and this may include adopting measures to prevent private corporations and investors, powerful local elites and family members from discriminating women from their rights to land,” she concluded.