By Lodu William Odiya
The Global Voices Organization (GVO), in partnership with the National Ministry of Gender, Child, and Social Welfare with support from the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), launched a national consultation on the development of the roadmap, National Action Plan (NAP) for the domestication and implementation of the Maputo Protocol that was ratified in the country in June 2023.
Speaking during the workshop, the Undersecretary in Ministry of Gender, Child and social welfare, Esther Ikere said that it was the first time they were launching a national consultation on the development of the roadmap despite the fact that awareness creation has been ongoing with different organizations and institutions.
“We want to launch this consultation formally, so that we will be able to have a clear roadmap for the implementation. And out of this, we will be able to develop a national action plan on the implementation of the Maputo Protocol” she said.
Ikere said that the National Action Plan is a vital instrument that provides a legal foundation for women’s rights regionally.
“Countries within the region are expected to align their policies, they are expected to integrate components of the Maputo Protocol, but they are also expected to ensure that they are part and parcel of the implementation within the region” she said
In her part, Pauline Tikiba who is the project coordinator at Lutheran World Federation (LWF) said developing the National action plan (NAP), would be a starting point to start with the implementation of this specific protocol.
“I know it has been a very long journey for us to get here, about 11 to 12 years, and I’m sure along the way you encountered challenges which you overcame, and finally the Protocol was ratified. we expect that it is domesticated” she said.
The consultative process marked a major milestone in a collective commitment to promote gender equality and safeguard the rights of women and girls in South Sudan and also building a participatory and inclusive roadmap to localize the Maputo Protocol in South Sudan’s legal and policy frameworks.