By Joseph Nashion
YAMBIO, 14 August 2012 [Gurtong] - The women say that at twenty, a girl will have completed education and gained both mental and physical maturity to manage a family.
The women were speaking during a workshop themed “Women Rights In The Transitional Constitution” in Yambio.
They want the marriage age to be clearly spelt out in the transitional constitution. During the workshop, there was debate over how much should be charged as dowry with suggestions that there should be a set limit on dowry.
The association has pressed for the constitution to be translated into the various local languages in Western Equatoria State so as sensitization campaigns are carried out to inform each citizens of their responsibility in upholding the constitution at county levels.
The women called for the appointment of female judges in law courts in the counties and that the domestic relations bill is quickly passed to regulate families in such cases as marriage rights, divorce and parenting.
The association wants the woman representation in public service to be creased from the current 25 to 30 percent.
Participants at the workshop noted that women in South Sudan are faced with a lot of challenges citing domestic violence and gender discrimination as mainly affecting them.
They recommended that the government should consider women in all aspects of its setting to serve as role model to the young girls.
“We have all along being hearing of the affirmative action or equal participation but we have never understood it well” said Fozia Bangasu, a participant at the workshop.
The Chairperson of Women General Union at the National Assembly said that it is not too late urging the women to stand firm and be united.
Deputy Governor of Western Equatoria State Sapana Abui thanked the organizers of the workshop and said that the workshop has educated the women of Western Equatoria State.
Abui said that the government is trying to create a school in the state to deal with the peer pressure issues.