The workshop was attended by 20 (8 females and 12 males) different stakeholders’ representatives from chiefs, youth, women, religious leaders, farmers, cattle keepers, police, prison service, Ministry of gender, local government officials, and civil society organizations.

The workshop has created a forum which enable the discussion of the causes of child marriage, the link between child marriage and conflict, and develop recommendations which are aimed at addressing child marriages and improving social cohesion among communities of Aweil South County. Among the legal framework discussed were child rights as stipulated in Child Act, 2008, African Charter on the Rights & Welfare of the Child – ACRWC 1990, and United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child – UNCRC 1989.

This activity was implemented in response to limited community psychosocial support services in the community due to trauma related to different forms of violence that use to happen in the communities.

During the meeting, participants acknowledged prevalence of trauma in the communities with negative impact. All participants welcomed the formation of the community volunteer group and promised to work with the group in the support of trauma and gender based violence survivors in the Boma.

As the results of the meeting, 1 community group of volunteer counsellors was established each in Malek-alel Boma of Nyoc-awany Payam in Aweil Center County readily prepared for training on their role in providing psychosocial support services in their respective communities.

This work was made possible with financial and technical support from UNDP’s Peace and Community Cohesion Project (PaCC) funded by the Government of Sweden.

As the results of the meeting, 2 community groups of volunteer counsellors were established each in Apada Boma of Nyalath Payam and Maper Boma of Maper Payam readily prepared for training on their role in providing psychosocial support services in their respective communities.

This work was made possible with financial and technical support from UNDP’s Peace and Community Cohesion Project (PaCC) funded by the Government of Sweden.

The workshop aimed at validating the draft Northern Bahr el Ghazal local policy on seasonal cattle migration that will contribute to enhanced ways of strengthening peaceful co-existence between pastoralist, farmers and host community in the state.

The participants who attended the workshop were invited from different institutions which includes State legislative assembly; Ministry of animal resource and fisheries; Ministry of peacebuilding; South Sudan Peace and Reconciliation Commission; Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation Commission; Ministry of Local Government; Counties; women group; youth group; Civil Society Organizations; State legal administration; and traditional leaders/chiefs.

The workshop was opened by Acting Minister of Peacebuilding, Hon. William Anyuon Kuol and moderated by William Kolong, the Regional Peace Coordinator for South Sudan Peace and Reconciliation Commission. Hon. William Anyuon during the opening remarks, clarify to the participants that the policy is very vital for the people of the state who are the host community in this case because the policy will replace all the resolutions that are always signed yearly by Dinka Malual and Resigate/Mesiriya Sudanese cattle herders as the permanent document that is going to be deliberated and endorsed by State Council of Ministers a memo; State Legislative Assembly will latter in the procedures go over it and approved it as a bill; and finally State Governor will assent to it as a law. Please put your inputs as stakeholders to see what is good for your community in the state to minimize the conflicts related to cattle migration, he concluded.

During the workshop, participants discussed the draft Northern Bahr el Ghazal local policy on seasonal cattle migration which was presented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) National Consultant Mr. Luka Madhieu. During the discussion, participants dwelled more on cattle migration routes as many proposed that migration routes must not be many in order to control the border crossing which was agreed at the end of the discussion; migration actors was also a hot point of discussion as others proposed that Palata or Amboro should not be counted as cattle migration actor in the policy, a proposal which was disputed by many participants and finally, all the participants reached consensus that Plata cattle herders must be cattle migration actors recognized by this cattle migration policy; security part of the policy stated that Sudanese cattle herders must not come to Northern Bahr El Ghazal State territories with horses because they use horses to killed people and run away but in the workshop, other participants proposed that they have to come with their horses but their horses should be registered and finally all participants after discussion agreed that horses can be allowed  with the condition that each horse must be registered by the local authorities. Participants also proposed that the following must be reflected in the policy: Sudanese cattle herders must not unlawfully cut trees in the forest, must not involve in mining activities and other activities that contribute to the destruction of natural resources in the state.

Hon. Akoon Diing, the Chairperson of Governance, Peace and Security Committee in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State Legislative Assembly in his closing remarks, thanked United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Sweden and CIPAD for making this policy possible, without you, we would have not think of this policy, he quoted. Hon. Akoon promised to the participants that he will be an advocate for this draft policy, I will follow up to ensure that all the legal procedures are taken for this policy to be assented into law as the relevant committee chairperson in the state assembly, he said. Hon. Akoon concluded that he will be responsible for the policy when it reaches the State Assembly and Hon. William Anyuon will be responsible for it when it reaches State Council of Ministers and both promised that they will engage Governor after all due processes to assent the policy into law.

1. Basic business skills and financial literacy in day one of the training
2. Mgurush on-boarding and digital literacy in day two of the training
3. Gender cultural sensitivity in day three of the training

This activity has increased the capacity of six (6) business saving groups of different business activities and ideas in Warawar on basic business management; financial literacy; digitalisation of business transactions including saving; and gender cultural sensitivity. The names of six (6) saving groups that were trained and supplied with booster packages and small phones were:

1. Detku Yic as traditional Sanduk (Control)
2. Pamat traditional Sanduk (Control)
3. Dotku Koc Cok traditional Sanduk (Control)
4. Town Group as digital Sanduk (Intervention)
5. Apor Monydit as digital Sanduk (Intervention)
6. Akut Ci Mat as digital Sanduk (Intervention)

In accordance with training evaluations, participants acknowledged that the training sessions delivered has enhanced their knowledge and skills on basic business management; financial literacy; digitalisation of business transactions including saving; and gender cultural sensitivity. We quoted, among participants, a woman called Bakhita saying that she now has her capacity increased to manage her business and contribute constructively toward the growth of their Group called Akut Ci Mat (United Group).

Some key community conflict drivers identified and discussed during the dialogue workshop were sexual gender based violence; poor consideration of young people in governance including peacebuilding and security planning; excessive consumption of drug and alcohol; poor literacy; lack of life skills trainings for young people; theft; and adultery just to mention few.

To address the conflict drivers, participants went for various group discuss and came up with some resolutions aimed at resolving the conflict drivers identified.

The workshop was attended by attended by 100 (45) participants from youth groups; community leaders; chiefs; women groups; community elders; Payam Administrators; County government Administrators; Police; Ministry of Peacebuilding; Ministry of Youths & sport; Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Development; CSOs; and faith-based groups (Christians/Islamists) in Wanjok Boma, Baac Payam, Aweil East County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal state.

Participants appreciated United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the support given. Without UNDP, we would have not sit with our local state government officials to jointly identify and discuss our community conflict drivers together and provided resolutions which we shall keenly follow to achieve the intended objective of promoting reconciliation and peaceful co-existence in our communities, said women leader of Aweil East County during Wanjok intergeneration dialogue workshop.

Members of PSS included capable community members both men and women who are voluntarily willing to support the victims of Sexual Gender Base Violence (SGBV). They include people like chiefs, women, youth, people with disabilities, people from specialist units etc. The section of the members is solely the work of community members with the consent of the nominee.

The objective of the meeting was to form Community Psychosocial Support Groups (CPSG) in Apada whose roles are to identify, counsel, report and support the victims of Gender Base Violence (GBV) in the community. They will be helping the victims to access available services through the available GBV referral pathways. Their roles will lead to documentation of GBV cases and subsequent reduction of GBV cases in the community. Many thanks to UNDP and Government of Sweden for making this activity successful and impactful in our communities.