South Sudanese Women Are Going Beyond Gender Norms To Cope With Multiple Crises
South Sudan is facing a number of crises including civil conflict, natural disasters, and gender violence, with women being disproportionately impacted by this. The United Nations Refugee Agency has estimated that 83% of South Sudanese refugees displaced by conflict and climate disasters are women and children. War and conflict have allowed sexual violence to increase, while climate change and crop failures have left women highly vulnerable to food insecurity as their caregiving roles lead them to be low priority when it comes to food portioning. Additionally, cultural factors such as male dominance in decision-making and finances create further challenges for women in coping with these crises. Marisa O. Ensor attests to how these women are taking action to combat the issues the country is facing despite the constraints of gender norms in the region. Women are supporting each other, particularly victims of sexual and gender-based violence, through therapy, community support, and livelihood schemes. In order to do this, they have begun seeking typically masculine jobs such as fishing which provide the income needed for women to support themselves and their community. In addition, South Sudanese women have actively pushed to be included in efforts to combat civil unrest. Female negotiators were central to producing the 2018 peace agreement and enacting a quota ensuring that 35% of government representatives are women, creating roles for female employment in this sector. South Sudanese women have continued to take strides towards improving their country, pushing for new establishments to increase government accountability and help bring justice to survivors.
