As the nation prepares for elections, the minister of parliamentary affairs, Hon. Mary Nawai, encourages women to participate in politics and hold leadership positions.
At the International Women’s Day launch in Juba on Monday, Hon. Mary Nawai said, “As women and men, it is our responsibility to make sure those women and men understand the value of women and the role they play in society.”
She emphasized that everyone in leadership positions, men and women alike, should act as ambassadors and ensure that everyone understands their role.
“For us to be gender balanced, we should make sure that those women, especially in the grassroots, understand their roles,” the minister continued.
The minister emphasized that women are more than just voters, saying that “we as women are entitled to fully engage in the political process, which includes running for office and campaigning.”
She challenged some women who believe that women belong in the kitchen and should not work in politics. A kitchen is not just for women, nor is it intended to prevent women from participating in politics, she continued.
This is a harmful belief that must be disproved since a kitchen is not meant to be a space reserved for women or to keep them from taking on leadership roles.
She urged women in positions of leadership to make every effort to motivate other women by demonstrating exceptional performance in their positions.
In politics, she said, the leadership sits at a table to talk about concerns in the country. Since women are the most vulnerable, they suffer more when there is no peace, she added.
However, she also encouraged women to join political parties to provide them with a platform to run for office, receive votes, and speak up for other women on issues like peace, early marriage, girls’ education, and the value of education.