Youth-Led Wave Redefines Gender Norms
Songs, slogans and street debates now fill Rumbek’s dusty lanes as teenagers spotlight child marriage’s cost. The Rumbek Youth and Sport Association launched #TitKoRot, meaning “Let us protect ourselves”, to place girls’ rights at the centre of public conversation (RYSA, 2025).
Nonviolent Civic Action Gains Momentum
Four rotating forums in Rumbek Centre, East and Wulu convene 800 youths. Boys and girls dissect dowry pressures, poverty drivers and personal choice, guided by elders and officials committed to dialogue over confrontation. Organisers stress that peaceful advocacy cements community trust.
Laws and Learning Reinforce Protection
Participants study the 2022 Gender-Based Violence Act, soon to be displayed in schools and offices. Norwegian People’s Aid sponsors printing, turning dense clauses into accessible posters. Parallel #HakBetana sessions teach constitutional rights to 900 secondary students, linking education with future livelihoods.
Voices From Rumbek Schools
“Girls are not sources of cattle; they are future doctors,” says student Rebecca Cholhok Mading, urging parents to keep daughters in class. Classmate Makuei Dut notes that forced unions “steal leadership from the community”, underscoring shared prosperity when girls thrive.
Pathways to Peace and Progress
Ministries of Gender, Youth, Education and the Human Rights Commission applaud the initiative for pairing gender justice with stability. By equipping adolescents with legal knowledge and public-speaking skills, RYSA nurtures a generation ready to build a peaceful Lakes State where every child chooses her destiny.