The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation commission (R-JMEC) has lamented has lashed on parties of the peace agreement for not observing the 35 per cent affirmative action in appointments as it was envisaged in the R-ARCSS.

The revitalised peace agreement stipulates that the parties must ensure 35 per cent of appointments in various levels of government are either women or men.

“I encourage the parties to the R-ARCSS to give their full attention in the spirit of the agreement,” the Interim Chairperson, RJMEC Maj Gen Charles Tai Gituai said.

 “There was a clear need for more women to be appointed at all levels of government, especially at the state executive and legislative positions,’’ he added.

Gituai emphasised that appointments are yet to be made for the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA), Council of States, State Legislative Assemblies, as well as the various positions within the local governments in Abyei, Ruweng and Greater Pibor.

He also touched on the resolution of the meeting of the presidency on Tuesday, February 2, 2021, which was to reconstitute the TNLA and the Council of States by February 15, 2021, but never materialised.

“I can report that these two institutions have not been reconstituted. I reiterate my appeal to the parties to adhere to the 35 per cent level of women’s representation in their nominations to reconstitute the TNLA and the Council of States,’’ he stated.

Early March 2021, the vice president for gender and youth cluster Rebecca Garang spoke with one of the local radio stations blaming the influential men in South Sudan for paying only “lip service” to the 35 percent affirmative action plan for women.

She said that the political parties, which are mostly headed by men, have failed to empower enough women in leadership positions.

Garang called on women to stand up for their rights by demanding full representation in the country.

According to the 2011 Transitional Constitution, as amended, women should be accorded full and equal dignity of the person with men.

The new peace accord also tasks the incumbent government to appoint not fewer than six women to ministerial positions, and not fewer than three women in SPLM-IO and SSOA must appoint no less than one woman.