8 Mar 2013

SOUTH SUDAN / INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

Thousands of women marched through the streets of Juba town today in celebration of International Women's Day, under the national them "Gender agenda: educate girls and women." UNMISS

Posted at: March 8, 2013 2:09 pm

Duration: 01:54

Available in: SD

DOWNLOAD

Full script

STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
TRT: 1.54
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS
DATELINE: 8 MARCH 2013, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN

SHOTLIST:

8 MARCH 2013, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN

1.Wide shot, women marching with banner
2. Med shot, women marching
3. Med shot, South Sudan National Police marching
4. Med shot, women ululating as they watch the parade
5. Med shot, United Nations Police members marching
6. Med shot, women singing as they watch the parade
7. Close up, drums
8. Wide shot, girls and boys marching and singing
9. Wide shot, women seated under a tent
10.Med shot, women seated under a tent
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Ruth Kibiti, Gender Affairs Officer, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
"The only gift that a parent can give to his daughter in society is education. That is a life-long gift. It is a permanent gift. It can never be taken away. And one way of empowerment that we must all look for as women of South Sudan is empowerment through education." 
12. Med shot, women seated, listening
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Bina Jackson Lojang, participant:
"We as Southerners we are facing a lot. We are facing gender-based violence in different ways. We have forced marriage. We have early marriage and we have… Raping is taking place. We have an economic dependency. Is also here we are facing illiteracy, high rate of illiteracy among our women and our women, they are not aware of many things."
14. Med shot, women seated, with a child sitting on one of the women's lap
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Nancy Moite, young girl:
"Especially us who are young girls, when we are educated we shall see others, take care of others and stand for our country."
16. Wide shot, women dancing
17. Med shot, women dancing
18. Med shot, drummers
19. Med shot, women jumping

STORYLINE:

Thousands of women marched through the streets of Juba town today in celebration of International Women's Day, under the national them  "Gender agenda: educate girls and women."

As women marched, other women watched, ululated, sang, and cheered.

After the march, they all congregated to watch performances, and listen to speeches.

Speaking at the event, Ruth Kibiti, Gender Affairs Officer for the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), said that society can never change lives in the communities unless girls are educated.

SOUNDBITE (English) Ruth Kibiti, Gender Affairs Officer, UMISS:
"The only gift that a parent can give to his daughter in society is education. That is a life-long gift. It is a permanent gift. It can never be taken away. And one way of empowerment that we must all look for as women of South Sudan is empowerment through education."

Women and girls' potential in South Sudan remain constrained by social-cultural practices, and by laws that place women in a situation where maternity is the only social power available to them.

According to last year's Household Survey for South Sudan, less than a third of all South Sudanese aged 15 or older can read and write. The literacy rate among women is even lower – 19%. Although girls' education has improved since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, figures by the Household Survey show that much work lies ahead.

SOUNDBITE (English) Bina Jackson Lojang, participant:
"We as Southerners we are facing a lot. We are facing gender-based violence in different ways. We have forced marriage. We have early marriage and we have… Raping is taking place. We have an economic dependency. Is also here we are facing illiteracy, high rate of illiteracy among our women and our women, they are not aware of many things."

In South Sudan, girls continue to be marginalized and denied access to education, with only 37.1% of eligible girls enrolled in primary school, and just 1.3% enrolled in secondary level education.

Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan, and head of UNMISS, Hilde Johnson, has noted that "child marriage remains a deterrent to education; it affects thousands of girls and young women, depriving them of the ability to achieve their full potential and to fully contribute to the building of this new nation." 
 
SOUNDBITE (English) Nancy Moite, young girl:
"Especially us who are young girls, when we are educated we shall see others, take care of others and stand for our country."

The United Nations continues to work closely with the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, and all relevant institutions, to empower women, close the gender gap, and get more girls into schools.

Filed under 11. - EDUCATION 14.01.00 - ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN UNMISS.