South Sudan Women’s Empowerment Project Launch in Juba
The Ministry of Gender, Child, and Social Welfare, working with development partners, has launched the South Sudan Women’s Social and Economic Empowerment Project. The initiative is designed to widen women’s access to livelihoods, entrepreneurial support, and services for survivors of gender-based violence.
At the launch in Juba on Tuesday, January 6, Naomi Thomas, speaking on behalf of the ministry’s leadership, described the project as an effort to reinforce national systems that protect survivors and support longer-term recovery. (Eye Radio)
GBV Survivor Services: A Coordinated Framework
Thomas said a dedicated project component focuses on strengthening the national response so survivors are “not only rescued from harm but supported on a pathway to healing, recovery and empowerment,” presenting prevention, response, protection and sustainability within a single framework. (Eye Radio)
She also pointed to plans for a safe house intended to accommodate different needs, including women with children, adolescent girls, and persons with disabilities. (Eye Radio)
Helpline Coverage Across Ten States and Two Areas
Gune Annet Mule, identified as a gender-based violence specialist at the ministry, said the project will serve communities across ten states and two administrative areas.
Annet highlighted a planned helpline expected to operate in the ten states, as well as in Pibor Administrative Area and Ruweng Administrative Area. She also referenced the construction of a safe house for high-risk individuals in Central Equatoria State, in Juba. (Eye Radio)
Disability Inclusion in Women’s Protection and Support
Andrua Sarah Johnson, deputy information officer at South Sudan Women with Disabilities, urged implementers to place persons with disabilities “into the centre” of delivery, arguing that inclusion should not be treated as an afterthought.
Johnson linked her appeal to earlier assessments, noting that people with disabilities participated and should therefore see their needs reflected in implementation. (Eye Radio)
What the Project Components Cover
According to the project outline shared at the event, the programme brings together multiple strands, including community empowerment, support for women and girls, women’s entrepreneurial opportunities, services for survivors of gender-based violence, and institutional strengthening and project management.
Officials and stakeholders presenting the initiative framed it as both a social protection measure and an economic empowerment effort, aiming to align survivor support with pathways into livelihoods and self-reliance. (Eye Radio)