Sudan

If there is one group that faces special challenges in Southern Sudan, it is women.

Principal among them is gender-based violence, which is under-reported and spreading given the long history of conflict, certain traditional practices and weak judicial systems, IRIN reports.

After 21 years of war, there is little accurate information on Southern Sudan.

I wait for her on Wednesdays. She comes in the afternoon and spends about two hours ironing my shirts, my grandmother's dresses, and the bed sheets. I hand her a bucket of ice along with her money. They do not have a fridge and in the scorching heat of Sudan, cold water should not be a luxury. Her name is Fatima. She is a displaced woman from Darfur.

El Geneina, 30 September 2010 – More than 50 representatives gathered yesterday in El Geneina, West Darfur, to discuss women's rights in the Darfur state. The event marked the third and final in a series of Darfur-wide forums on UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325. The occasion was led by the Wali's (Governor's) Advisor for Women and Children, with assistance from UNAMID.

RUMBEK, 6 October 2010 (IRIN) - If there is one group that faces special challenges in Southern Sudan, it is women. Principal among them is gender-based violence, which is under-reported and spreading given the long history of conflict, certain traditional practices and weak judicial systems, say specialists. Below are some key obstacles to tackling GBV in Lakes State.

More than 50 representatives gathered yesterday in El Geneina, West Darfur, to discuss women's rights in the Darfur state. The event marked the third and final in a series of Darfur-wide forums on UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325. The occasion was led by the Wali's (Governor's) Advisor for Women and Children, with assistance from UNAMID.

In a highly anticipated meeting next week, President Obama will sit with Sudanese leaders at the United Nations to discuss the upcoming referendum on independence for the southern part of their country. The vote, scheduled for January 2011 is a pivotal test for the diplomatic community and a potentially historic moment for the war-torn African state.

Parliament – Juba Female members of Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly are up in arms against an alleged women under-representation in the distribution of chairs of the assembly's 17 Standing Specialized committees.

RENK - South Sudan Women Empowerment Network, a body that works to enlighten women on political, economic, social, and traditional matters, has on Friday concluded three days workshop in the southern state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal.

JUBA - The World Bank Vice President for Africa Region, Ms Obiageli Oby Ezekwesili on her visit to Juba Teaching Hospital has said that the maternal mortality rate in southern Sudan is very high and unacceptable. She made this statement during a press briefing in which she gave an appraisal on the Bank projects in the region. The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning David Deng Athorbei also attended the function.

Over the period of 29 August to 1 September, UNAMID conducted several focus group discussions and interviews with key stakeholders as part of the 10-year impact study on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000). The landmark document ensures that the promotion of women's empowerment and gender equality form a central part of efforts to implement peacekeeping mandates.