Ensuring gender equality and women's representation in South Sudan's unified military forces.

As the gender focal point for UNMISS Civil Affairs' Bor Field Office, we visited the Panyier Unified Military Training Center in Jonglei State where government and opposition forces alike are undergoing joint training to form South Sudan's National Army. Life in these environments are hard, and men and women have different needs which need to be recognized. Undergoing training for months under these harsh conditions with almost no facilities, particularly in a State rife with conflict can prompt many women to leave their training behind to return to their families. Therefore, we distributed sanitary napkins and hygiene kits for the women, for whom it was crucial to have those resources if they were to continue with their military training. By providing women with a little support, we can make sure that they don't drop out of these trainings and thereby have equal participation in all spheres of public and political life, including in the military.

#EachforEqual #WPSin2020

Pictured above are women soldiers receiving sanitary items at Panyier unified training site in Jonglei State from the UNMISS Bor Team comprised of Gender Affairs Unit and Civil Affairs Division.
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