UN Women Launches ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality’ Campaign in South Sudan

By Denilson Denike

Juba – The Deputy Country Representative of UN Women South Sudan, Rukaya Muhammad, launched the “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality” campaign on Tuesday at Radisson Blu Hotel. This initiative aims to raise awareness about the pivotal role played by the private sector in advancing gender equality in South Sudan.

During the launch, Muhammad acknowledged that the empowerment of women in South Sudan is constrained by prevailing social norms, insufficient access to education, and a lack of financing opportunities for women.

She emphasized the importance of providing a platform for women entrepreneurs to interact with the private sector, discuss their successes, challenges, and opportunities in order to accelerate gender equality.

The campaign is a collaborative effort between UN Women, the African Development Bank, Alpha Bank, and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Themba Bhebhe, the Country Manager for African Development Bank (AfDB), expressed the bank’s support for women and youth across the continent, highlighting the two windows—public and private sector—for supporting countries.

Victoria Otieno, the Managing Director for Alpha Bank, outlined the corporate social responsibility programs in place to support women entrepreneurs, underscoring the belief that investing in women leads to greater prosperity in communities.

The event shed light on how strategic investments in women can drive transformative change and propel society towards a more equitable and prosperous future. It also highlighted the International Women’s Day theme for 2024, “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.”

The “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality” campaign aims to close gender gaps by increasing women’s access to finance and encouraging women to invest in public markets while developing new products.

This event forms part of a broader set of global initiatives to engage the private sector in creating enabling environments for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality” campaign in South Sudan represents a crucial step toward promoting gender equality and empowering women through collaboration with the private sector.

As the international community celebrates International Women’s Day this year, this campaign signifies a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to advance gender equality in South Sudan and beyond.