"the women confernence"
Due to a shift in the circumstance-induced demographic condition, women constitute about 65% of the population in Southern Sudan. (UN Report 2003).
Thus it was important to reach out to this section of the population through their leaders and representatives.
1.1 The CPA and the Interim Constitution of Southern Sudan make it binding upon the signatories and the administrative agencies responsible for governance to device and implement policies and Programmes to include the marginalized sections of the society especially the women; in the political process to the multi-party democratic process of Southern Sudan.
1.2 To build the capacity of women so as to facilitate their effective participation in the political process.
1.3 Sensitize the political parties on issues of empowering women for an effective working of the multi-party democracy.
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It was important to look into the subject of capacity building and training of women from the following aspects:
1.5.1. Traditional Background.
1.5.2 Recent history of turmoil (closure of educational institutions, unemployment, zero mobility).
1.5.3 Negation of rights as part of cultural differences.
- Brain drain due to conflict.
- Lack of English education & resultant disconnect with development.
- Long disassociation with the outside world and changes.
- Absence of proper platform to highlight women’s plight and struggle for legitimate representation.
- Lack of health facilities leading to increased ailments and mortality rate.
1.6. Keeping in view the importance of the issues like facilitating the participation of the marginalized section of the population and make it possible for the women of Southern Sudan to participate in the multiparty democratic process, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, GOSS, has taken serious steps, in association with the UNDP, Juba, to address the issue. As a first steps, in association conference “women in politics in Sudan” was successfully organized from may 07-11,2007,in Juba, Southern Sudan.
1.7 Many preparatory meetings were held for the successful conduct of the workshop. These meetings highlighted the need to hold such a workshop which took the shape of a conference involving a larger number of women participating in the deliberations thus reiterating the importance and timeliness of the subject.
1.8 The conference, besides other things recognized the need to work out a series of action plans to build the capacity of the women to take more active part in politics’ conference such as this underlined the need to sensitize the political parties on issues concerning egalitarian politics, gender impartiality and equality of opportunities without any discrimination whatsoever.
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