Navigating Barriers and Agency: A Brief Report on South Sudanese Women’s Socio-Political Participation (2021-2026)

This brief report examines the persistent barriers to, and expressions of, socio-political agency among South Sudanese women in the post-revitalised peace agreement period (2021–2026). It addresses the critical research problem of how women navigate a complex landscape of formal inclusion mechanisms and enduring patriarchal constraints to influence public life. Employing a rigorous qualitative methodology, the analysis synthesises findings from 24 in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted in 2024 with women activists and community leaders in Juba and Bentiu, triangulated with a critical review of recent policy frameworks and civil society reports. The report argues that while the 35% affirmative action quota and the National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 represent significant formal progress, women’s effective participation remains circumscribed by entrenched cultural norms, economic dependency, and pervasive security concerns. The findings, however, foreground women’s resilient and pragmatic agency, evidenced through innovative grassroots mobilisation, the formation of cross-ethnic coalitions, and strategic engagement with local governance structures. The significance of this analysis lies in its contribution to African feminist scholarship, demonstrating that South Sudanese women are not merely victims of conflict but are central, strategic actors in the nation’s contested political transition. The report concludes that sustainable peacebuilding necessitates moving beyond nominal representation to actively recognise and support the indigenous strategies women employ to claim their socio-political space.