Message from the Representative
It is a great honor to bring to you our quarterly Newsletter highlighting what we have delivered with our partners in this beautiful Republic of South Sudan. Together we have contributed to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment, restoring hope for the refugees and returnees, empowering adolescents, and young people including people with disabilities to make informed choices, for all citizens to thrive.
During this second quarter of 2023, UNFPA is proud to have launched and handed over two major facilities: the first-ever well-equipped female boxers’ facility and the self-care facilities for the Bright starlets – the female national football team. This gives UNFPA an opportunity to leverage sports to challenge negative gender norms, promote girls’ development and gender equality. We make these efforts because we believe that investing in South Sudan’s girls is a critical pathway to sustainable development. Girls have dreams of a good life, in a better world where they can participate in athletics, complete their education without missing school due to menstruation, be married off early, or have children while they are still children themselves.
The other notable episode in the second quarter has been the refugee and returnee crisis as a result of the Sudan conflict, as the saying goes, “When your neighbor’s house is on fire, you will not catch sleep”. UNFPA is responding to the crisis with its frontline partners with SRHR and GBV services, including providing Dignity and RH Kits to assist young girls and women fleeing from the war zone.
The contribution from the Government of Sweden was another great milestone that provides an opportunity to enable us to continue delivering programs for improving the health and well-being of women, girls and young people in South Sudan.
We remain grateful for the partnership with other UN Agencies in supporting development of this country. UNFPA and UN-WOMEN launched a four-year project of $70 million South Sudan Women’s Social Economic Empowerment project. Another key milestone was the joint UNFPA and UNESCO launch of a two-year project which will empower young women and men to participate in and lead peacebuilding processes across the ten states and three administrative areas.
The conflict in Sudan which has resulted in a number of refugees and returnees crossing into South Sudan cannot pass without mention. As the saying goes, “When your neighbor’s house is on fire, you will not catch sleep”. UNFPA together with the other UN Agencies has/is responding to the crisis at the entry points with our frontline partners with GBV services, psycho-social support, case management of rape and pre-positioning Dignity Kits to young girls and women fleeing.
I take this opportunity to thank the Government of South Sudan, our Donors, Partners and the entire UNFPA staff for their dedication toward the delivering our mandate. We will always strive to deliver a world and a South Sudan where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. Enjoy reading!
