$70 Million Investment to Empower Women and Girls in South Sudan
By Fuli Dickens Isaac
Juba – In a significant move to uplift women and girls in South Sudan, the National Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare has partnered with the World Bank and UN Women to sign a groundbreaking $70 million agreement. This initiative aims to empower women and girls economically and socially, enhancing their access to vital services and resources.
Hon. Aya Benjamine Warrille, the National Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, announced that the program is designed to broaden access to livelihood opportunities, entrepreneurial endeavors, and services addressing gender-based violence (GBV). “This initiative will strengthen the government’s capacity to provide essential services, fostering an inclusive environment where women and girls can thrive,” she stated.
The ambitious project will be implemented by Hold the Child in collaboration with the University of Juba, the Department of Rural Development, and the Christian Agency for Peace and Development. Its focus will be on delivering a comprehensive social workforce assessment and capacity development across all ten states and the two administrative areas of Ruweng and Pibor.
Minister Warrille emphasized the project’s inclusive nature, ensuring that women and girls are empowered across various business sectors. The initiative’s four key components will assess the social workforce at national and state levels, starting with Central Equatoria State before expanding to other regions of South Sudan.
“The first phase of this project will target 450 participants in Central Equatoria State,” Warille noted, urging implementing partners to prioritize accurate data collection. “To effectively deliver quality services, we need the right data that reflects the needs of our communities.”
This $70 million investment represents a pivotal step forward in addressing the socio-economic challenges faced by women and girls in South Sudan, offering new opportunities for empowerment and development in a nation striving for resilience and progress.
