South Sudan Embraces the CRPD
President Salva Kiir’s February 2023 signature on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities placed South Sudan among 190 nations legally bound to protect citizens with impairments.
Officials say the treaty is now the benchmark for domestic policy, guiding ministries toward accessible infrastructure, inclusive education and equitable employment.
Workshop Puts Faith in Action
From 14–15 August 2025 the Juba Grand Hotel hosted clerics, imams and disability advocates under the banner Faith in Action: Advancing the Implementation of the CRPD for Inclusive Communities.
Funded by the Dutch Foreign Ministry and seven NGOs, the gathering explored how weekly services can broadcast rights-based messages faster than traditional campaigns.
Religious Networks as Amplifiers
“We meet worshippers every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so our pulpits are natural loudspeakers,” explained Pastor Isaiah Malek Garang, advisory board member of We Are Able.
Imam Abdullah Diko added that mosques already assist vulnerable families: “Linking charity to the CRPD will normalise inclusion in village life.”
Government Sees Grassroots Partnership
Emmanuel Lobari, director of disability at the Gender Ministry, called faith leaders strategic allies. “From cathedral to cattle camp, they translate policy into local languages,” he said.
He announced plans for sermon guides, radio spots and Braille leaflets to ensure the convention’s 50 articles are understood beyond Juba.
Advocates Urge Wider Roll-Out
Augustino Wudu Elario, chair of the South Sudan Union of Persons with Disabilities, welcomed the law yet warned of knowledge gaps inside state agencies.
He urged ministries and private firms to budget for ramps, sign-language staff and adaptive technology, insisting that “implementation, not signatures, measures commitment.”