SOUTH SUDAN: Mary Kiden Urges Women Lawyers to Defend Referendum

Juba - Kajo-Keji MP Mary Kiden has urged Southern Sudanese women not to underrate the upcoming referendum because “it is about life and death”.

Addressing female lawyers at Sahara hotel in Juba this Tuesday the MP said, “we cannot waste a single minute because this is all about the future of our nation.”

She added that once South Sudan becomes an independent state there will be many jobs opportunities for young men and women who are now languishing in abject poverty.

The legislator reminded the gathering that under the leadership of President Salva Kiir, the government of Southern Sudan has accorded women a 30% representation in top leadership positions.

The MP stressed that the government has done more than enough not only promoting women but also encouraging girl child education.

According to the United Nation statistics, South Sudan has 30% of women representation which is good news for women who are aspiring to become future leaders.

But Kiden warned women not to take things for granted but instead should work hard to attain their rights.

In contrast she said the government of National Unity is silent about the empowering women unlike the interim constitution of Southern Sudan which gives 25% of seats to women.

“If our constitution grants and support your freedom and rights why not register and vote yes for separation to attain total freedom?” She asked.

She called on women lawyers to educate people in the rural areas because some of them do not know the meaning of the referendum.

“Please go to the rural areas and educate our people; it is going to be a voluntarily work but you will finally be rewarded if you vote for your freedom” she said.

She reflected back and observed that years back there was no faculty of law in southern Sudan.

“Women were discriminated against in all professions. We should have been the first women to graduate in the law faculty. By then the first condition was that you have to study Arabic and Sharia law, because of that religious and linguistic discrimination I was forced to study social sciences,” she regretted.

In case the independence of southern Sudan is declared unilaterally by the Legislative Assembly, the MP challenged the lawyers to prepare to defend it.