Vol. 1 No. 1 (2021)
Gendered Resource Governance: Women, Oil, and Climate Politics in South Sudan
Abstract
This working paper examines the intersection of gender, resource governance, and climate politics in South Sudan, focusing on the period from 2021 onward. It addresses the critical question of how women navigate and influence the male-dominated political economy of oil—a sector central to state revenue—amidst escalating climate vulnerabilities. Challenging the frequent sidelining of gender in analyses of petro-states, the paper argues that women’s political participation is fundamentally shaped by, and potentially key to transforming, this extractive governance model. Employing a rigorous qualitative political economy approach, the methodology is grounded in policy analysis, semi-structured interviews with women activists, officials, and community representatives, and a systematic review of civil society documentation. Ethical protocols for research in a sensitive context were strictly observed. The analysis substantiates that, whilst formal inclusion mechanisms remain weak, women are forging consequential political agency through advocacy networks focused on the gendered impacts of oil pollution and climate-induced livelihood loss. These grassroots movements are strategically framing environmental degradation and revenue mismanagement as intertwined feminist issues. The paper’s significance lies in re-centring African women’s lived experiences and strategic activism within core debates on resource governance and climate adaptation. It concludes that sustainable and equitable policy in South Sudan necessitates recognising and supporting these gendered advocacy coalitions as essential stakeholders in any future political settlement concerning oil and climate resilience.
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