The government of South Sudan, along with civil society organisations and development partners, is taking steps to fast-track the implementation of the Maputo Protocol, a regional legal framework aimed at protecting women's rights and promoting gender equality. This move comes three years after the country ratified the treaty in 2023. The proposed technical working group will strengthen coordination among stakeholders and ensure that commitments under the protocol translate into concrete actions.
A one-day stakeholder meeting organised by Global Voices Organisation (GVO), with support from Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), brought together over 20 participants from government institutions, civil society, and church-based organisations. The meeting aimed to discuss the establishment of the technical working group and the development of a national action plan to guide the implementation process. Betty Okech, Director of Child Protection at the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, emphasised the need for stronger coordination between government institutions and civil society.
Okech stressed that government institutions must play a central role in initiatives concerning women, children, and persons with disabilities. She called for the development of a national action plan to break down the protocol into actionable steps for the country. The proposed technical working group is expected to coordinate advocacy efforts, support legal and policy reforms, and oversee the development of the national action plan.
Nyakuoth Top Kuek, a representative of Norwegian Church Aid, highlighted the importance of commitment from the working group's members to fulfil their responsibilities. She stated that forming the committee was only the first step, and without implementation, it would remain merely a formality. The success of the working group depends on the commitment of its members.
Josephine Chandiru, Executive Director of Global Voices Organisation, expressed concern over the slow pace of implementation, citing the difficulty in monitoring and assessing achievements. She recalled that a national consultative meeting organised by the Ministry in August 2025 identified key priorities, including conducting consultations across six states and strengthening partners' capacity for treaty reporting.
South Sudan ratified the Maputo Protocol in February 2023 and deposited its instrument of ratification with the African Union in June of the same year. The protocol seeks to protect women's rights, promote gender equality, and address discrimination and violence against women across Africa. The establishment of the technical working group is a crucial step towards enforcing the treaty.
The implementation of the Maputo Protocol in South Sudan has faced delays, but the government's efforts to fast-track the process are underway. With the establishment of the technical working group and the development of a national action plan, stakeholders are hopeful that the country's commitments under the protocol will translate into concrete actions to protect the rights of women and girls.
Key points
- The government of South Sudan is establishing a technical working group to address delays in enforcing the Maputo Protocol, a regional legal framework aimed at protecting women's rights and promoting gender equality.
- The proposed working group will strengthen coordination among government institutions, civil society organisations, and development partners to ensure effective implementation of the protocol.
- A national action plan will be developed to guide the implementation process, breaking down the protocol into actionable steps for the country.
