Report expresses concern for women’s rights in the two Sudans
By Toby Collins
October 23, 2011 (LONDON) – A report published in conjunction with a human rights conference to be held in Gambia from 24 October to 7 November paints a bleak picture of the plight of women in North Sudan, reserving caveated optimism for South Sudan.
It describes violence against, and repression of, women as a problem which has ‘escalated across many Horn of Africa societies in recent years,’ and that women are ‘still bending their heads.’
The report lauds South Sudan’s constitutional agreement to have a minimum of 25% female representation in government, an improved female literacy rate and the training given to police to deal with victims of gender-based violence.
However, concern is expressed over the reliance of 90% of South Sudanese women upon customary law which entails the use of customary courts, which predominantly based upon patriarchal systems.
The report also expresses concern that the dowry remains central to these traditions and as such, its recent inflation has resulted in bloody conflict.
Worryingly, SIHA quotes ‘an official at the South Sudan justice department’ as saying “My mother was beaten, last week my sister was beaten by her husband, what’s wrong with that?”
Although this is indicative of an entrenched sexism, the report says that there is an opportunity for the international and regional human rights communities during ‘these transitional times’ to ‘extend hands of support’ to South Sudanese women.
SIHA recommends that the quasi-judicial human rights collective, Africa Commission, support the Government of South Sudan to address the sexual inequities.
Based upon the report’s findings, the situation in North Sudan is significantly worse.
‘The Sudanese regime is using South Sudan’s recent independence as a front for removing citizenship for those it sees as being undesirable. These processes are specifically affecting poor women from conflict zones.’
It also claims that Sudan’s laws and law enforcement ‘have largely reflected institutional gender discrimination’ which in turn ‘has caused great suffering to Sudanese women and girls.’
The report is particularly critical of the Sudan Public Order Regime; a set of laws which makes women ‘targets for the application of ill-defined moral standards which have been bestowed with legal characteristics’ and the ‘vaguely worded final penalty provision’ of the Khartoum Public Order Law.
These have both been instrumental in the persecution of women, particularly Internally Displaced People, who are ‘lashed and jailed for lengthy periods of time and often tortured and sexually harassed.’
The report suggests that the African Commission investigate the issue of the access to citizenship for Sudanese women. Since the succession of South Sudan in July, the ongoing conflicts in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile, citizenship has become an even more fraught topic.
(ST)
Logic
Report expresses concern for women’s rights in the two Sudans
What can one expect from the blatantly racist regime of the NCP!. Sadly they manage to get support among the ordinary citizens who pride themselves on superior belonging to the “land of the blacks”. Many of them are regular commentators here, we’ll know who they are.
The struggle continues for the northern African Sudanese women, although women in general are suffering in both Sudans.
Deng Ateny Lueth
Report expresses concern for women’s rights in the two Sudans
Hello, my advise goes out to international Communities. stop adressing South Sudan and North Sudan jointly, we are not twins. i have observed in many occasions on SSTV where international investors expressed their desires to invest in both North and South , NO, im not interested in hearing that. just invest in one and don’t mention the other one. inv North investment is separate from ours. thanks
Deng Ateny Lueth
Report expresses concern for women’s rights in the two Sudans
South Sudan women rights should not be address jointly with North Sudan women rights problems. South Sudan believe in the equality of her citizens or all human being rights regardless of gender, age, and religious affliation.North Sudan has Social problems that need to be address. lastyear witness Woman was flocked for alleged of commiting adultery.that gender violence should be directed to Nort