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Success Story

Photo: USAID

Women in Rumbek, South Sudan, marched and danced on International Women’s Day. International Women’s Day celebrations in South Sudan and the Three Areas helped women recognize their contributions and initiate plans for future advancement.

International Women’s Day is an occasion marked around the world by women’s groups showing solidarity and advocating peace, equity, equality, and human rights. The celebration is also an important opportunity to increase awareness of gender issues in communities throughout the world. On March 8, 2006, women in Southern Sudan and the Three Areas (Abyei, Blue Nile, and Southern Kordofan) mobilized to celebrate the day with the support of USAID.

In Rumbek, local authorities and local and international organizations united to organize an International Women’s Day event in Freedom Square. The celebration started with a parade of women’s groups carrying banners with the global International Women’s Day theme for 2006 — “Women in Decision-Making: Meeting Challenges, Creating Changes” — as well as the local theme developed through group discussions with women in Rumbek — “Women and Men as Partners in Decision-Making.” Thousands of people watched as women led vocal and dance performances and listened to statements from female leaders, government representatives, and representatives of local organizations. The program concluded in the evening with a soccer match organized by the Ministry of Information, Culture, Youth, and Sports.

Similar celebrations supported by USAID occurred at other locations, including Wunrok town in Twic County and Kauda town in Rashad County. In Wunrok town, USAID collaborated with Member of Parliament Victoria Adhar Arop to celebrate the day and recognize the achievements of women from Southern Sudan. The celebrations throughout the South and Three Areas helped women recognize their contributions and initiate plans for future advancement.

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