Aya Benjamin Warile, Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare. (Photo: Courtesy).

The Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare is holding a two-day consultative workshop to scrutinize the anti Gender-Based Violence Bill in what the minister said is an initiative to “clean up” the document.

The bill being reviewed by multiple-stake holders including the United Nations’ Population Fund has already been presented to the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Ministry.

Gender Minister Aya Benjamin Warile said the consultation aims to address gaps in the draft bill, revolving around clear articulations of terms such as inclusion, rape and categorization of crimes related to GBV.

Ms. Warile said this is to ensure the bill aligns with international best practices and legal standards.

“Anti GBV bill has been in our agenda for a long time, not only as government but civil society and everybody. And we said if passed it will ease the work of the duty bearers,” she said.

“We are here to revise and review what we have been doing all these years. I know that we have submitted the draft to the Ministry of Justice, but on this forum, we have everybody including people from the ministry so that we clean up this document.”

UNFPA Country Representative Dr. Ademola Olajide said the absence of the the anti GBV bill has hindered women and girl in South Sudan from participating in social economic progress.

“This is very important because gender-based violence constitutes not only violations of rights but it hinders gender equality and also prevents the participation of people who are survivors in social economic process,” said Olajide.

“If we look at the population of South Sudan, it is 52% women and girls and so if they are burdened by gender-based violence, their participation in social economic progress becomes hindered.”

For her part, The Minister of Interior Angelina Teny stresses on the need to domesticate the International conventions and ensure these are incorporated in the bill.

“The element of domestication of our International Conventions is very important, and the domestication will come through this bill and I hope you will look at the gaps.”

Meanwhile, participants at the workshop underscored the importance of having an Anti-GBV law in place to protecting women and girls; hence eradicating gender-based violence in the country.

Lieutenant Colonel Harriet Fozia, and Central Equatoria Union of the Visually Impaired Chairperson Robert Ladu are among the participants.

“The anti GBV bill is important for the protection of our women and girls. This bill if it is passed it will help us a lot.”

“The most important thing is awareness should continue from our family then to the government because GBV mostly starts from the family and we do not realize it is GBV.”

“We are really happy about this bill and we know GBV is very high and common in our country but once the law is passed it will Eradicate the cases of GBV.”

The anti GBV bill was submitted to the National Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in 2020.

But since then there have been calls from different stakeholders and women groups for the bill to be passed to the parliament.