Immediately after the signing of the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan-R-ARCSS, GEPA South Sudan as a feminist organization made a bold step working with women leaders across the political divide and from political parties’ signatory to the agreement to advocate for steadfast adhrere to the affirmation action enshrined under the agreement on the 35 percent women representation in the legislature and executive arm of the yet to be constituted Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity, R-TGoNU.

Through rigorous consultative engagement, a gender disparity whitepaper was developed giving an in-depth insight into the status of women’s inclusion across the socio-political and economic platforms in South Sudan in comparison with those of the neighboring countries in the region.

The paper later provided the factual and empirical evidence shaping the national women-led advocacy strategy contributing to the 22^nd February 2020 Republican decree by the President of the Republic of South Sudan appointing nine (9) women as full ministers and one (1) as deputy minister giving women an executive arm representation of 22.7 percent (10 women out of 44 overall ministerial appointment slots) and placing women in some inner circle of national strategic decision making platforms even amidst push backs and inadequate political will from the leadership.

It should be noted that much as the statistics on women representation showed no steadfast adherence to provisions agreed upon in the R-ARCSS, there was a great sense of responsiveness and responsibility by the leadership towards the women’s call to action with the few women appointed positioned within ministries that directly impact on the broader social, economic and political situation of an everyday woman in South Sudan.

Lastly, the appointment of H.E Rebecca Nyandeng as one of the five Vice Presidents set a record of a first woman to hold the office of the Vice Presidency in South Sudan coupled with the historical appointment of Hon. Angelina Teny also as the first woman to lead the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs.