Sudanese Women, rise and demand for your rights – SPLM Wani Igga

By Isaac Vuni

March 1, 2008 (JUBA) — Sudanese women must rise and talks openly about their rights being deliberately denied by men, the Speaker of Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly and SPLM Deputy Chairman for Political Organizational Affairs and Chairman of Preparation Committee of SPLM Second Convention said today.

James Wani Igga said women have to talk of their rights in a proper way so that they are understood by men particularly those men who are politically culturally and religious oriented colon themselves under those organization in order to deny women their legitimate rights to governance in the Sudan at all level of positions.

He noted that lack of information sharing among women was among major hindrance to progress of Sudanese women today. He urged women to forge link from grassroots to central government so as to exchange and share views and new ideas with cross section of their sisters.

James Wani made this remarks when closing the five days training and consultative workshop of SPLM Women League Leaders at Juba Bridge Hotel on Saturday.

He reiterated that SPLM women positively contributed and even went to front line as combatants hence SPLA/M recognized their important role by granting them 25% ration of positions at all level of governments. Besides they could still compete for the remaining 75% together with men. “You better get organized and get your rightful share,” Wani said.

The SPLM Women League leadership has been meeting in a five-day consultative and training workshop from the 26th February to 1st March 2008; the 50 participants were drawn from the 25 states of Sudan including senior government officials from the governments of National Unity, Southern Sudan (GOSS) and the States Governments.

At the end of the workshop they came out with the following resolutions and recommendations:

– The SPLM Women recognizes and appreciates the commitment of SPLM leadership to ensure the participation of women alt all levels of governments, particularly commended positive role and commitment of SPLM Chairman Comrade Salva Kiir Mayardit.

– The SPLM Women reaffirmed their committed to supports to the Chairmanship of Comrade Salva Kiir Mayardit.

– The SPLM Women condemned in the strongest terms possible the recent deliberate and malicious character assignation invested on some of women Executive leaders circulated through the internet and some section of print media.

– The SPLM Women League would speed up the process of the formation of Women League Congresses in all States of the Sudan.

– The SPLM Women League should adopt the already elected women through the main SPLM Reorganization process.

– That; they should develop high ambitions to higher positions in the SPLM Leadership, and should be ready to compete with the men on equal bases in the 75% of government and public institutions

– That the Sudanese media should refrain from marginalizing women photo appearance in front pages of the newspapers and headlines in mass media;

– That; the women leagues congresses in the states should be conducted not later than April 2008 and the election should be done in fare and democratic manner to enable SPLM Women hold national Conference at the end of April;

– That; the information network should be strengthen among all the SPLM Women Leagues from the States to central information ought to be established for purposes of networking and exchange of information to all SPLM women in the States;

– All women who are interested to hold positions in the government and public institutions should present their opinions and desire for higher profile responsibilities through the SPLM Women league who would screen such request through a democratic process.

– All members of SPLM Women league must be registered members of SPLM main organ to ensure effective participation in the convention.

– Women Can Do It (WCDI) program to be introduced immediately to all states of Sudan.

– The 25% delegates to the national convention should be selected from among SPLM Women League conferences conducted in the States.

The resolutions and recommendations were dully witnessed and signed by Comrade Mrs. Nyandeng Malek, Secretary General, SPLM Interim Women League and Comrade Mrs. Angelina Teny, State Minister of Energy and Mining in the Government of National Unity and Member of SPLM Women’s League

(ST)