Evaluating a Gender-Transformative Intervention for Women's Political Participation in South Sudan, 2021–2026

This intervention study addresses the critical deficit of women’s substantive political participation in post-conflict South Sudan, where entrenched patriarchal norms continue to marginalise women from decision-making processes despite constitutional quotas. It evaluates a multi-faceted, gender-transformative intervention implemented from 2021 to 2026, designed to foster genuine political agency beyond numerical representation. A sequential mixed-methods design was employed, comprising a longitudinal survey with 450 women across three states, followed by in-depth focus group discussions and systematic participant observation. The intervention integrated leadership training, coalition-building workshops, and community dialogues challenging gendered political stereotypes. Quantitative results demonstrate a statistically significant increase in participants’ political self-efficacy and knowledge. Qualitatively, these shifts correlated with a notable rise in women contesting and securing local council positions by 2024. However, the analysis reveals persistent structural barriers, including gendered violence and party gatekeeping, which curtailed national-level influence. The study concludes that while targeted interventions can catalyse local political engagement, their long-term efficacy is contingent upon concurrent legal and institutional reforms. This contributes a critical African feminist perspective to peacebuilding literature, positing that empowering South Sudanese women politically necessitates a fundamental renegotiation of power, vital for the nation’s democratic consolidation and equitable development.