Background
Friendly spaces for women and girls are crucial part of the strategy of protection and empowerment of women and girls in South Sudan since conflict re-erupted in the country in December 2013. In South Sudan discriminatory social norms and power inequalities between men and women affect all aspects of social, economic and political life. Moreover, communities have experienced decades of conflict and displacement and women and girls lack opportunities to move freely and safely, partly because areas of South Sudan are still threatened by insecurity and partly because public spaces culturally and traditionally belong to men. There are few opportunities for women and girls to gather together and support one another.
Whilst South Sudan has a history of women’s associations, which have provided opportunities for women to meet and share the issues affecting them, many such associations have collapsed due to conflict and displacement. Opportunities to generate income have reduced as the economic situation has become more difficult in South Sudan, which has further increased the vulnerability of women and girls. Some women whose husbands have been killed or who are away from home have had to take up new roles as breadwinners, without the necessary skills to take them on. Many women and girls have experienced physical and/or sexual assault during the conflict, as well as the loss of loved ones, property and homes, resulting in high levels of distress.
WGFS can thus provide women and girls with a safe place to gather in order to access services and information and much needed psychosocial and peer support. Safe gathering points like the ones SAADO are establishing also offer them an opportunity to engage with each other, exchange information, and rebuild community networks and empower women and girls to be able to identify solutions and strategies to address concerns and to act and advocate for themselves.
Objectives
- To create an empowering and inclusive environment where women and girls attending feel safe, supported, connected, empowered and better informed about their rights and opportunities
- To reduce emotional distress, through psychosocial support, recreational activities and peer support.
- To develop or strengthen women’s and girls’ social networks, build relationships and create opportunities for experience sharing.
Achievements
SAADO is still currently building and establishing 5 WGFS in the second quarter of 2020, 3 in Kapoeta East and 2 in Ayod County in Jonglei.
In the meantime SAADO has managed to mobilize 6,750 dignity kits from UNFPA which will be distributed to promote the dignity of women and girls in these areas.
