Following the 28 June brief report of the African Women’s Lobby series of discussions with South Sudan government officials and opposition leaders for finding durable solutions for sustainable peace in South Sudan.1 We, the African Women’s Lobby (AWL) and the Women’s Bloc of South Sudan (WBSS) and Voice of South Sudanese Diaspora (VOSSD) invite all South Sudanese women leaders of civil society organizations both in South Sudan and in the Diaspora, including business organizations, religious groups, women in uniform and members of parliament for a consultations meeting on finding durable solutions beyond the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
We are aware that the ending of the transitional period in February 2023 has an immediate effect on the women’s lives. More recently, there has been a growing concern in different groups of women on how the R-ARCSS can promote and provide pathways such as elections. Finding durable solutions is therefore, that this peace initiative2 is a fairly concept promoting a sustainable comprehensive dialogue for the benefit of South Sudan and its people.
”As mothers, we must make sure that South Sudan and the world is safe for our babies … Look at one child, one baby…We have children, and we are doctors who treat children. We live with grieving parents. We understand the value of every human life… we appeal especially to the women to work for peace because we understand the genesis of life. Our bodies are built to nurture life.”
Therefore this consultation meeting is a continuous dialogue toward people-to-people peace. We call for immediate graduation of the unified forces and integration of the unified force into the national army, and an immediate stop of child recruitment into the military. RJMEC and CTSAMVM to engage the warring parties in the agreement accordingly.
To achieve a sustainable peace, immediate action is required in three key areas: increase awareness of all women and parties on implementation of R-ARCSS, tackling both the war threat and causes of war, and leave no stone unturned to achieve inclusive South Sudan, democratic and competent governance for sustainable peace and development.
This consultations meeting therefore will focus on the future of South Sudan beyond R-ARCSS – how the R-ARCSS has been implemented and which parts has not yet been implemented and how it will be implemented, and how peace and democracy in South Sudan can be strengthened and made more effective, to get the issue firmly on the local, national and international/Diaspora and promote sustainable ways to stop both war and causes of war.
This meeting will take place via Zoom on 11 August 2022. Early registrations are encouraged, to facilitate the planning of this event. All leaders of the organizations are asked to register their names through this contact: email: awlreden@gmail.com.
Background
The African women’s Lobby (AWL) was established so as to function as a platform of meeting place on topics that are close to people’s hearts, such as sustainable peace and development, regional and international cooperation, peace research, and human rights. As the African women’s lobby (AWL) took the peace initiative to form the first meeting in 2019. African women’s lobby (AWL ) is a neutral regional non-profit organization.
AWL is officially recognized by many officlas, including both the South Sudan government and all outstanding oppositions to act as an observer to peace talks. AWL functions as a platform and bridge building bringing civil society organizations working together, aims to strengthen peace, cooperation, development and encourage all conflicted parties to end war and famine, refugee camps, force migration, and early death of children, because children are the future & they deserve to live and be loved. There is no better way to do this than the absence of war. AWL head office is in Sweden, with focal points in African countries, including in Juba, South Sudan, USA and Europe.
AWL Cooperates with many Civil Society and national organisations and women in parliaments and Diaspora NGOs that Strive for Sustainable Peace and Development among others in Somalia such as Africanroots somalia, Somali Women Forging Alliances and others, and many others in South South such as the Women’s Bloc of South Sudan (WBSS).
The Women’s Bloc of South Sudan (WBSS) is one of the signatories of R-APACSS. WBSS was the first women’s stakeholder and officially recognized by grantors, parties and stakeholders to the Revitalized Agreement as a neutral body. WBSS is an umbrella organization that consists of over 50 Non-government organizations. WBSS aims to unite women of South Sudan for peace and its head office is in Juba, South Sudan.
The Voice of South Sudanese Diaspora VOSSD is the largest umbrella organization of South Sudan’s associations in the Diaspora, under which communities, women and men are united regardless of race, religion, gender or political ideology to promote peace, development and equality, equal rights between Women and men.
This project supports the peace and sustainable development Goals – the SDGs
References:
Finding durable solutions for sustainable peace A Brief Report of AWL Series of Discussions with South Sudanese Government officials and Opposition leaders Date: 3rd March to 5th December 2021.Released on June 28, 2022: https://www.africanwomenlobby.org/awl-pushes-the-government-and-oppoistion-to-find-durable-solution-for-sustainable-peace/? fbclid=IwAR22AvbcGeYXJUAzxIs9v4iP9Gs2-08q2Asj-8O4-eakhM9mevK9G7zsDD4
AWL’s top three priorities for peace are; sustainable peace is an absence of war and the causes of the war, stepping up the pace of the peaceful transition through democratic means and leaving no stone unturned in combating tribalism and putting a stop to civil war to boost development. AWL Peace initiative:taskforce https://www.africanwomenlobby.org/awl-peace-initiative/
Together Somali Men and Women Can Work For Peace, Prosperity and Sustainable Development for All in Somalia https://www.africanwomenlobby.org/together-somali-men-and-women-can-work-for-peace-prosperity-and-sustainable-development-for-all-in-somalia/