A high-level meeting brought together women lawmakers and their male allies from the National Legislature’s Council of States and representatives from the Central Equatoria State legislature to bridge a critical structural gap between state and national assemblies.
Viola Samuel Satti, Chairperson of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, said the three-day workshop, which concluded on Saturday, successfully enhanced the leadership, advocacy, and lobbying capacities of women leaders.
Participants united to sign a historic cross-party pact aimed at boosting women’s political participation, mastering parliamentary procedures, and strategically preparing for the upcoming electoral process.
“This workshop has been a turning point, opening our eyes to the power of strategic lobbying and unified advocacy,” Satti said. “As we approach elections, we are fiercely claiming the 35 percent affirmative action quota guaranteed to women. We have built a powerful cross-party momentum to ensure our voices shape the nation’s future.”
She added that due to legislative delays on critical gender issues, the delegation passed a groundbreaking resolution urging the fast-tracking of crucial, stalled gender-sensitive bills to secure women’s rights in public spaces. These bills are vital to legally anchor the right to 35 percent political representation, fast-track gender equity protections, and establish essential frameworks to guard women against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
“During the upcoming elections, these legislative measures will play a dual role to legally safeguard women’s civic spaces so they can run for office safely while equipping female candidates with the concrete rights, constituency strategies, and political momentum needed to mobilize voters and successfully claim leadership roles,” Satti stated.
The training addressed the distinction between gender equity and gender equality, provided practical strategies for constituency engagement, and established robust frameworks for the protection of women against violence during the election cycle.
Despite previous legislative stalemates, the energized lawmakers are returning to their respective assemblies determined to mobilize public support, protect civic spaces, and ensure that inclusive democracy becomes a reality in South Sudan.
The workshop adopted resolutions to establish a comprehensive framework to secure women’s political leadership ahead of the December 2026 elections. This includes advocating for a mandatory, alternating “zipped” (man/woman) ballot system within their respective political parties.
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