CIPAD’s Message for International Women’s Day, 08 March 2023.

International Women’s Day as an important global day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements and contributions of women, Community Initiative for Partnership and Development (CIPAD) is committed to celebrating the day with women across the world particularly, the Republic of South Sudan.

As per the United Nations Observance of the Day, CIPAD as well celebrates the day under the theme “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”, recognizes and celebrates the women and girls who are championing the advancement of transformative technology and digital education. The observance aims to explore the impact of the digital gender gap on widening economic and social inequalities, and also spotlight the importance of protecting the rights of women and girls in digital spaces and addressing online and ICT-facilitated gender-based violence.

Women in South Sudan continue to face extraordinary challenges which includes sexual and gender-based violence; scarce opportunities for education and vocational training; laws and patriarchal norms limit women’s ability to inherit land, start a business; and lead in public affairs. In this case, rural women suffer the most due to lack of awareness and education.

In response to women situation, CIPAD works with partners, women groups, civil society actors and government stakeholders to promote women’s social, cultural, political and economic empowerment through protection, capacity building and livelihoods activities in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State.

As community organization, our message of the day is categorical.

• We appreciate the efforts made by partners and governments in the protection and empowerment of women and girls in South Sudan, we urged them to double their efforts in doing so;
• We urge both public and private sectors to promote women participation, protection and empowerment within their respective capacities;
• We request for the increased promotion of women in science, technology, and ICTs as key in addressing gender inequalities, and other protection deficiencies; 
• We urge for adequate awareness creation about the digital gender divide; and
• Strengthen policies and legal frameworks that keep women and girls’ safe.

Conclusively, we are calling on governments, activists and the private sectors similarly to power onin their efforts to make the digital world safer, more inclusive and more equitable. Despite the numerous challenges that we are facing in this world, we should not give up, we have a chance to create a better future that is not only for women and girls, but for all humanity and all life on Earth.