Southern Sudanese Women Lawyers want more female participation in the referendum
By Bonifacio Taban Kuich
November 8, 2010 (JUBA) – Southern Sudanese women lawyers Association are calling for women to participate in south Sudan’s independence referendum due to begin in January.
The association made the statement as part of a workshop on “promoting the effective participation of women lawyers in the referendum”.
Its aim was to bring together female lawyers working in the government, judiciary and the private practice to improve their understanding of the 2009 Southern Sudan Referendum Act, which provides the legal basis for the southern Sudan referendum in January next year.
The workshop also focused on post referendum issues and gender issues related to the referendum.
Mrs Afaf Ismail Ibrahim chairlady of Southern Sudan Women Lawyers Association said that another of the objectives to identify the role of female lawyers could play in the referendum. These included supporting other women during and after the referendum and sharing experiences on the lesson learnt by female lawyers from others African countries which have conducted referenda, she said.
She added that to develop an action plan and recommendations on the way forward for successful referendum need a networking line for the Southern women lawyers.
Mrs. Ajonye Perpectua Paya, minister of Legal Affairs and Law Enforcement in Central Equatoria state, said the Southern Sudanese Women Lawyers Association should be respected by all the government
institution in order for to ensure community justice.
The minister encourage the women lawyers to promote women right in the societies and must make sure women are represented in rule of law.
She said, “we need to focus much on how to capture all those mistreatment against women right violation in the Southern Sudan ten states, to be honest some women are going under threat from certain societies therefore urging their power to go ahead and preach justice to the fellow women in the various states in the South.”
South Sudan is widely expected to vote to become independent in the referendum, due to begin on January 9.
(ST)