Sustaining peace: harnessing the power of South Sudanese women

To achieve peace, women must have access to justice, resources and meaningful representation in positions of power.

South Sudanese women have always participated in peace processes but usually not at the front lines of negotiations. Despite considerable challenges, their bottom-up approach and collective action at grassroots level have led to greater representation in the formal peace processes and the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity. However, to achieve positive peace in South Sudan, women must have access to justice, resources and meaningful representation in positions of power.

About the authors

Liezelle Kumalo is a researcher in the Peace Operations and Peacebuilding Division of the Institute for Security Studies. Her work experience includes gender, peace and security, and peacebuilding. She has an MA in International Relations from the University of the Witwatersrand.

Cassie Roddy Mullineaux is a lawyer, currently undertaking her Masters in International Human Rights Law at NUI Galway, Ireland. Her work with ISS was part of her Diploma in Development Practice at Trinity College Dublin. She previously completed research for Oxfam Ireland on women’s political participation and representation in various sub-Saharan African contexts.

Picture: UNMISS/Flickr