As Human Rights Activits in Malawi today took to the streets, demanding gender balance in Parastatal organizations, a group of activists in South Sudan have taken the ruling party, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), to the supreme court for what they call a “violation” of women’s constitutional rights.
According to the information that MRB has sourced from African News Network online, the activists accuse the party of not respecting the constitution and provisions of the September 2018 revitalized peace agreement that grant a 35% gender quota for women at all levels of government.
President Salva Kiir appointed nine governors to the country’s ten regional states in June. Only one woman, Sarah Cleto Rial, was nominated. The president’s party has also been accused of not appointing any woman in its six gubernatorial slots.
The activists are urging the supreme court to compel and order the ruling party to remove two male governors and replace them with two females. They said if the court fails to respond to their plea, there is a possibility of moving to the East African Court of Justice in Arusha, Tanzania. South Sudan is a member of the east African community bloc, but it is yet to be admitted fully.
