During a regional meeting of the International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict last week in Nairobi, campaigners called on the international community to take urgent action and end the violence in South Sudan. The statement issued from the meeting supports the calls of the grassroots women's activists in South Sudan who are continuing to struggle for meaningful participation at peace talks and ensure humanitarian access to the region.

Campaign Echoes Calls of South Sudanese Women Activists for Peace

(March 10, 2022 – Ottawa)

The International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict calls on the global community to take immediate steps to ensure an end to the current conflict in South Sudan, which is disproportionally impacting women and children. The call echoes the continuing appeals by the South Sudanese grassroots women’s rights activists for action. 

The Campaign urges the international community to:

- Ensure the enforcement of the ceasefire, restoring appropriate security at the border, and to ensure immediate humanitarian aid to the region and its access by all marginalized groups including women, children, and disabled persons;

- Ensure that South Sudanese women—representative of the diversity of the country—have meaningful participation at the peace talks;

- Provide support for capacity building, training, and sponsorship to South Sudanese women for their meaningful participation in the peace process.

Members of the International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict gathered in Nairobi last week to develop a strategy to address the ongoing crisis of gender violence in conflicts across the continent. Campaign members highlighted South Sudan as a region where the international community needs to take urgent action to support the women’s rights activists that are continuing to work for peace despite the many challenges.

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The International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict is led by the Nobel Peace Laureates of the Nobel Women’s Initiative and an Advisory Committee comprised of 25 organizations working at the international, regional and community levels to stop rape. Since its launch in May 2012, more than 700 organizations from around the world have joined. The Campaign demands urgent and bold political leadership to prevent rape in conflict, to protect civilians and rape survivors, and calls for justice for all—including effective prosecution of those responsible.

Download the full statement here.

Learn More

African activists join forces at our Campaign regional summit

South Sudanese Women's Statement at Gender is My Agenda, January 2014 [PDF]

Statement for the Mediators for South Sudan in Addis Ababa, South Sudan Women United, Feb 10, 2014.

South Sudan Commission of Inquiry established and members appointed, African Union, March 7, 2014.