This survey research article investigates the gendered dimensions of natural resource governance in South Sudan, analysing the extent and nature of women’s political participation in oil and climate politics from 2021 to 2023. It addresses a critical gap in the political economy literature, which often overlooks the specific barriers and contributions of women in shaping environmental policy within fragile, resource-dependent African states. Employing a rigorous mixed-methods design, the study administered a structured questionnaire to 450 purposively sampled women stakeholders—including community leaders, civil society activists, and government officials—complemented by 25 key informant interviews to provide contextual depth. The findings demonstrate that despite constitutional provisions for gender inclusion, women’s participation in formal oil revenue management and climate adaptation decision-making fora remains markedly low and largely symbolic. However, the research identifies significant, yet under-recognised, informal agency exercised by women through local networks, particularly in managing climate-induced resource scarcities and mitigating community-level conflicts linked to environmental stress. The analysis contends that the prevailing extractive political settlement systematically marginalises gendered perspectives, thereby undermining the efficacy, legitimacy, and equity of resource governance. The article concludes that substantive progress requires moving beyond tokenistic representation to institutionalise women’s knowledge and leadership, a vital imperative for sustainable and just governance in South Sudan and analogous post-conflict contexts.