THE TRIPLE BURDEN: WOMEN SELLING THEIR LABOUR IN SOUTH SUDAN
SUMMARY In rural South Sudan, markets for food, labour, and land are expanding, leading to increased workloads for women. Historically, rural women had two primary labour burdens: producing food for home consumption and providing essential life-giving labour such as child-rearing and household maintenance. These were unpaid. Now, they face a third burden: producing food for […]
WOMEN IN AUTHORITY IN SOUTH SUDAN: CONNECTIONS, CHALLENGES, AND STRATEGIES FOR LEADERSHIP
SUMMARY • Across South Sudan, women of different socio-economic backgrounds and experiences are fighting to take up positions of authority at all levels. This process is uneven, non-linear, and socially complex.• The ways in which women are organizing for leadership and authority are linked between different parts of the country: from urban to rural spaces, […]
Podcast: SSWRN | Research Outputs | Mary Adut Achiek
In this episode of Rift Valley Radio, brought to you by the Rift Valley Institute, Catherine Patrick from the South Sudan Women’s Research Network (SSWRN) engages in a compelling discussion with Mary Adut Achiek, an early career researcher from the first SSWRN cohort. Mary shares her research on the historical and evolving roles of women […]
Girl Child Blood Compensation Practice among the Lotuko in Eastern Equatoria State
Girls and women in South Sudan face numerous barriers and challenges: customary law often denies women the right to own land, girls’ access to education remains precarious and harmful traditional practices continue to place women and girls at risk of gender-based sexual violence. In South Sudan the traditional practice of blood compensation for murder is […]
Webinar | The Structure of Violence: States, Official Militaries, Paramilitaries, and Non-State Militias in the Northern Horn of Africa
For more than a century, the Horn of Africa has been affected by war and violence triggered and driven by clashes between state militaries, paramilitaries and other non-state militia groups. The ongoing war in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and the recent Tigray war in Ethiopia that […]
WAR AND THE BORDERLAND: SUDAN, ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA AT A TIME OF CONFLICT
This research paper builds on work the Rift Valley Institute (RVI) has conducted on the Sudan–Ethiopia borderland under the XCEPT programme since 2021. This culminated in the report ‘Resistance in the Peripheries: Fragile peace and civil war in Sudan and Ethiopia’s borderlands’, published in March 2023. It also draws on work undertaken by the RVI […]
Hidden Figures: Women navigating a culture of exclusion in peace and conflict resolution processes
This report examines the roles of women in peace and conflict resolution processes in South Sudan. It highlights how women navigate systemic exclusion and use cultural practices like songs and dance to assert their voices and influence decisions. Despite historical gender norms restricting their participation, women have made significant contributions to peacebuilding. The report emphasizes […]
Beyond the Surface: Unraveling the transition from subsistence fishing to commercialization and the realities of women’s participation in fishing markets
This report examines the impact of local fishing practices on women’s livelihoods in Lake State, South Sudan. It highlights the transition from traditional fishing to market-oriented fishing and the resulting economic opportunities and challenges for women. Despite historical gender norms restricting women’s participation, fishing has become a crucial source of income and empowerment for many […]
Seeking the Meaning of Traditional Healing and Spiritual Protection among the Faratit communities in Wau, Western Bahr El-Ghazal State
South Sudan’s healthcare system faces significant challenges, particularly in rural areas where access to clinical services is limited and costly. Many South Sudanese turn to traditional healers who use herbal medicines and spiritual methods due to a lack of affordable clinical care and mistrust of formal medical facilities. Recognizing the importance of these traditional practices, […]
Women in Research: Reflections and Analysis on South Sudan
On Monday 27 May 2024, the South Sudan Women’s Research Network (SSWRN), supported by the European Union, will launch two reports written by early career researchers involved with the project. Kiden Sawala Laki will share the findings of ‘Beyond the Surface’ which looks at the transition from subsistence fishing to commercialization and the realities of women’s […]