JUBA – Rights organizations Monday called on South Sudan’s electoral authorities and political stakeholders to ensure the meaningful inclusion of women with disabilities in the country’s upcoming general elections, arguing that barriers to participation continue to deny them their political rights.
The groups made the appeal on Monday during a public engagement with the Political Parties Council, where representatives said women with disabilities remain underrepresented in political leadership and decision-making despite constitutional guarantees of equality and non-discrimination.
Speaking on behalf of the organizations, disability rights activist Catherine Ascencio said inclusive elections are essential for building democracy, peace, and equality in South Sudan.
She said many women with disabilities still struggle to access political meetings, voter education programs, and leadership opportunities because of discrimination, inaccessible public spaces, and limited support.
“As South Sudan prepares for democratic elections, we call upon all political actors to honor the commitments our nation has made under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, and the Maputo Protocol,” Ascencio said.
“These commitments require more than words—they require action. Women with disabilities must be able to register as voters, access information, campaign freely, contest elections, hold leadership positions, and participate equally in shaping the future of South Sudan.”
The organizations said South Sudan has already committed itself to protecting the rights of persons with disabilities by ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
They also cited the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security and the Maputo Protocol, which promote women’s participation in governance and decision-making.
They argued that excluding women with disabilities from politics undermines those commitments and weakens efforts to build lasting peace and democratic institutions.
The groups called on political parties to adopt inclusive policies that recruit, mentor, and support women with disabilities as party members, leaders, candidates, and campaign officials.
They also urged parties to make political meetings and campaign activities accessible by providing sign language interpretation, accessible venues, assistive communication, and election information in formats that people with disabilities can use.
“Women with disabilities must be able to register as voters, access information, campaign freely, contest elections, hold leadership positions, and participate equally in shaping the future of South Sudan.”
She further appealed for civic and voter education programmes that specifically target women with disabilities, particularly those living in rural and hard-to-reach communities.
Among their recommendations was the introduction of intersectional quotas to ensure women with disabilities are represented in elected positions, alongside reforms to remove barriers within party constitutions and nomination procedures.
The Political Parties Council was also urged to strengthen its oversight role by requiring political parties to report data on membership and leadership based on gender, disability, age, and region.
The groups further proposed that public funding and other incentives for political parties should be linked to how well they promote women, young people, and persons with disabilities within their structures.
They also recommended publishing a public inclusion index ranking political parties according to their commitment to disability and gender inclusion.
“Credible, peaceful, and inclusive elections cannot be achieved while women with disabilities remain excluded from political participation and leadership,” Ascencio said.
Women for Justice and Equality and the Union of Persons with Disabilities said they remain committed to working with the Political Parties Council, government institutions, civil society organizations, development partners, and political parties to promote disability inclusion, gender equality, and democratic participation across South Sudan.
The appeal comes as South Sudan prepares for its long-awaited general elections, currently scheduled for December 2026, with civil society organizations increasingly calling for reforms to ensure the electoral process is inclusive and accessible to all citizens.
