Rumbek celebrates women day
By Manyang Mayom
March 8, 2007 (RUMBEK) — Thousand of Women in Lakes State celebrated the Women International Day in Rumbek Freedom Square. The ceremony was attend Acting Governor Awan Andrew Guol Riak who is also the security advisory of Lakes State government.
In opening remark by Lakes State director of Gender Ms. Natina Chukudum speech had recall back the late Dr. John Garang speech that focus on women saying “Women in Sudan as elsewhere in the world are marginalized of the marginalized whose suffering goes beyond description. The Sudanese rural woman, for example, gets up at five O’clock in the morning, to walk five kilometers, just to bring five gallons of water after five hours walk, spends another five hours working on the family farm, and five more hours making the family meal.”
Nevertheless Ms. Chukudum event this historical that recognition let to the allocation of 25 per cent of positions to women at all levels of governments in southern Sudan” she added that 25% are very little but we women must to put our hand together to build the better Sudan for all.
The International Women’s Day in Rumbek had left many rural areas to observe worldwide radio on 8 March under the theme (Ending impunity for violence against women). In Sudan, the Government, the UN and civil society groups are marking International Women’s Day across the country with workshops, marches, speeches and concerts.
The UNMIS representative said in his speech Thursday in Rumbek “In recognition of this year’s theme, the United Nations urges all concerned people to engage in discussions and take requisite action to protect women and prevent violence against them, in line with the CPA, the Beijing Platform for Action, Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security (2000), Security Council Resolution 1590 (2005).”
The UN representative also urged all actors in Sudan to redouble their efforts to end impunity for violence against women and ensure that human rights, including the rights of women, are strengthened, promoted, respected, and protected.
(ST)