SUDAN: South Sudanese Women's Votes Important for the Referendum – Machar

October 13, 2010 (JUBA) – The votes of southern Sudanese women in January's self-determination referendum will be a determining factor in the outcome, says the Vice President of the regional government, Riek Machar.

Women in Southern Sudan constitute more than 60% of the adult population in the semi-autonomous region. Hundreds of women leaders across the region launched a two-day conference on Tuesday in the parliament organized by the Office of the President under the theme: “Enhancing Women's Participation in the Referendum.”

Addressing the opening session of the gathering, the Vice President, Riek Machar, stressed the importance of active role by women in enlightening and mobilizing urban and rural women on the conduct of the referendum in the ten states of southern Sudan.

Machar warned that considering that they form the majority of the population, if the southern Sudan's women are mobilized to register but not vote, turn out might not be high enough for the vote to recognized.

He urged the women leaders ensure that all registered women are also mobilized to vote.

The referendum law stipulates that at least 60% of all the registered voters must vote during the exercise in order to legitimize the outcome.

Officials express fear that a large chunk of adult population may register but not vote, which mean the 60% threshold required by law would not be met.

Machar said women will have to overcome their daily difficulties at home, which may prevent many of them from going to vote. He said that responsibilities such as preparing meals for the family need to be spared or tackled differently on the referendum day to allow them to vote.

He briefed the women on the referendum process, particularly on the Referendum Taskforce established by the government in the South to oversee the conduct of the plebiscite, discuss post-referendum arrangements with the northern ruling National Congress Party (NCP) as well as prepare the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) for post-2011 governance.

He said it is the obligation of GoSS to secure the referendum exercise, revealing that 52,000 police are ready to provide security at voting centers.

Speaking in the same occasion, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Southern Sudan, David Gressly, informed the women's conference that the UN will be operating 20 helicopters in southern Sudan during the referendum.

The minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare and representative of women in the government, Agnes Kwaje Losuba, commended the attempt to enlightenment of women ahead of the referendum.

She expressed her expectation that the region would soon become an independent state, saying it was the 54th state in Africa is in the making.

The people of Southern Sudan have 87 days left until the referendum on independence of the region. The voters will choose between confirming the current unity of Sudan and establishing an independent state.