Navigating Transition: An Analysis of Women's Political Participation in South Sudan, 2021–2026

This article examines the persistent challenges to women’s substantive political participation in South Sudan during the implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement (2021–2026). It addresses a critical gap in scholarship on gender and post-conflict transitions by analysing the stark divergence between formal commitments to gender equity and women’s lived political realities. Employing a qualitative, feminist methodology, the research is based on thematic analysis of policy documents, parliamentary records, and 35 semi-structured interviews conducted in 2024 with women politicians, civil society leaders, and activists across three states. The sampling strategy purposively targeted key informants with direct experience of governance structures, with access negotiated through local partnerships and ethical protocols prioritising informed consent and confidentiality. Findings reveal that while statutory quotas have improved numerical representation, women’s political agency remains circumscribed by entrenched patriarchal norms, economic dependency, and factional party dynamics. The study argues that a superficial ‘politics of inclusion’ often instrumentalises women’s presence without transferring meaningful authority, thereby stifling transformative gender agendas. This contextual analysis underscores the complex interplay between formal institutions and informal power structures in a post-conflict setting. It concludes that sustainable progress requires moving beyond quota systems to dismantle the interconnected socio-economic and cultural barriers that inhibit South Sudanese women’s full political citizenship, offering vital insights for policymakers and women’s movements in comparable contexts.