New Hope for the marginalized group in South Sudan society

South Sudan had suffered marginalization from Islamic government in the north for since Sudan got its independence 1st January 1956. The period that followed the independence was successive Islamic regimes with similar agender to Islamize the entire country, and the national policy was heavily geared toward such barbaric ideology for the last 50 years of the Sudan's independence (1956 - 2005) 39 years were spent in civil war between Muslims in the north and Christians and traditional believers in the south. During such period in Sudan's history, women and children were primary victims to the conflict.

Women suffered the most, from culture and traditional oppression and marginalization, and also from conflict itself. The impact of both war and culture, was primarily lack of education of women. Most culture consider girl-child as an asset to obtain wealth leading to early marriages or early pregnancy, depriving girl-child from pursuing education. In most societies, marriage are arranged and the girl-child have no right to object what her parents have arranged for her. In most cases, girl-child education became useless as a result millions of girls end up without education.

With the secession and independent of South Sudan last July 9th 2011, the new nation of south Sudan offered women 25% position in the government, giving hope to women to fight for their rights. The president also encouraged parents to sent their girls to school, the move that was welcomed by the citizens and has empowered many women especially from diaspora, to fight and advocate for women and children's right.

With full support from United Nations to South Sudan Women Lawyers Association (SSWLA) in the new nation of south Sudan, we are seeing progress and up to 60 women, according to United Nations statistics, are fully operational in south Sudan, advocating for women and children's right. We are hopeful that south Sudan nation would set an exemplary to other nations where women are still being oppressed and marginalized. We also hoped that culture and traditions will embrace education of girl-child to narrow the gap created during the civil war and Islamic rule previously.

Nevertheless, there is still a long way to go, in order to translate the SSWLA work into a reality. They will need the support of law enforcement, non-government organisations and other well wishers of democracy. The main threat to success would be corruption, if the government of south Sudan failed to curb corruption from the government institutions, especially law enforcement, there will be a disastrous outcome. How can non-governmental organizations help in the formation of better law enforcement, in order to built strong and trustworthy police force, honest and responsible, to work effectively? We need your help on this particular challenge. It is my hope that some non-governmental organisations are out there and they will come and support this particular and special need in south Sudan.