16 Days of Activism: “Take Action, Be Accountable, Protect Women and Girls from Gender-Based Violence”

Violence against women in South Sudan

Reports from Global Women’s Institute and the International Rescue Committee show that up to 65% of women and girls in conflict and non-conflict zones in South Sudan have been experiencing different forms of gender-based violence. Despite efforts to prevent gender-based violence, little progress has been made.

In the South Sudan context, harmful gender norms, gender stereotypes, war and conflict are sometimes used to justify violence against women and girls.

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual campaign that begins on the 25th November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs through to International Human Rights Day on the 10th December.

The campaign aims to raise awareness on the negative impact that violence and abuse have on women and girls and this event objects to rid society of abuse permanently.
Around the world, men and boys are known as the main perpetrators of violence against women and girls in conflict situations. Accordingly, it is clear that any solution to the problem must engage men and boys.

HealthNet TPO’s stand on gender-based violence

HealthNet TPO believes in freedom from all forms of violence and considers it a fundamental human right. According to HealthNet TPO, gender-based violence undermines a person’s sense of self-worth and self-esteem. It affects not only physical health but also mental health and may lead to self-harm, isolation, depression and even more suicidal attempts.

Through the Leaders of Peace Project, HealthNet TPO provides psychosocial support and self-care services for women subjected to gender-based violence, and changes society’s attitude towards women to improve gender equality and increase women’s participation in leadership positions, decision-making and peacebuilding processes.

This include establishing community-based mental health programmes across 50 communities in five South Sudanese states and placing 50 trained individuals in 50 women groups to manage gender-based violence cases, community engagement, mobilization, mental health advocacy and more.

These individuals will also “strengthen different community groups” and advocate for mental health services.

HealthNet TPO through the Leaders of Peace project, has been working to improve implementation of policies and regulations on GBV and protection of women and girls.
The project is also working to change attitudes and beliefs of civil society to facilitate inclusion of women and girls and promote gender equality.

How do we include men and boys to become part of the solution?

Finding solutions to prevent violence against women are often placed on women themselves. Women have been blamed for being attacked, therefore, safety measures to prevent attacks are placed on the actions of women rather than men, including warnings like “Don’t walk alone at night”. 

On the other hand, supporting women survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) through psychosocial support gives women the space and opportunity to heal. However, there’s critical need for men and boys to be included to tackle SGBV root causes.  

The social and cultural norms where boys learn behaviors that promotes gender inequality, sexism and violence against women must be addressed and we must offer new perspectives on masculinity and allow men and boys to become part of the solution.

By engaging men and boys inclusive of women and girls, we can begin to breakdown harmful norms and allow women and girls safe spaces to express their concerns within unequal households.  

 

Gender equality workshop

In South Sudan, HealthNet TPO facilitates a male engagement workshop with men and their spouses in Terekeka County. The workshop was developed from experiences working with women that a changed attitude and transformed mindset will be more sustained when it is built from within family foundations, where everyone matters.

The initial workshop, attended by 10 young couples, it was a safe space for them to discuss gender equality in the home and gender-based violence. 

“We want our husbands to see us as a team and we would support them where necessary.” said one female participant. 

One male participant described his commitment within the home following the workshop. “As per this workshop we have committed ourselves to share roles equally in the home“. He added, “we must show interest in changing the narrative by putting girls to school which is something that is not common in our communities here in Terekeka County”.

During the workshop another male participant realised he had not been treating his wife right and apologised by saying: “I am sorry, I have not been listening to you and putting too much on you, things will change from today”.

Why is there stigma related to GBV issues and gender roles?

Stigma is a powerful social process of devaluing people or groups based on a real or perceived difference—such as gender, age, sexual orientation, behavior, or ethnicity. Discrimination follows stigma and is the unfair and unjust treatment of an individual based on that socially identified status.

This exactly what dominated the discussion during the workshop. Many men admitted strong presence of stigma and reaction by their fellow men in the community, they highlighted the need for community-wide change.

In many communities in South Sudan, girls and women are generally expected to dress in typically feminine ways and be polite, accommodating, submissive and nurturing. While men are generally expected to be strong, aggressive, and bold. Every society, ethnic group, and culture has gender role expectations, but they can be very different from group to another.

One male participant expressed his fear of stigma; “I want to help my wife, I want to clean the compound when I see her busy cooking, I want to let her work if she wants to, but my peers are always going to mock me and call me names, telling me I am controlled by my wife”.

Many other men felt the same stigma, but are unable to open up about it.

During the workshop, all 20 participants accepted to become ambassadors in their community, to help discourage stigma, stereotypes of men and encourage mutual respect and an end to violence.

The trainees designed a work-plan on how to start creating GBV awareness and promote gender equality in their own villages, holding monthly couples’ forums in different neighbourhoods and acting as GBV-watch in their community to report any cases of GBV and mental health issues to the Psychosocial Focal Point’s, who provide care for such cases.

Through Leaders of Peace project efforts under HealthNet TPO, to tackle mental health issues, South Sudan can move to have a society free of trauma, mental health and GBV issues. Find out more about Leaders of Peace