The newly appointed minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare Hon Awut Deng Achuil briefed the press on Thursday about the situation of “Street Children” in the country and asked what role SPLM could play as a party.

The press conference was held at the SPLM Secretariat on Thursday in presence of the party deputy Secretary General Dr Ann Itto, other government officials and journalists.

Awut revealed that she had started touring Western and Warrap states, and she is pledging to visit other eight states of South Sudan in order to see for herself the situation and conditions of the Street Children.

“The situation is that these children sleep in an open place, they collect their food from the garbage, and they eat leftover food. And where in the market they are subjected to any abuse be it sexual abuse beaten, thrown in jail. These are the issues these children are facing and they are saying it. This is the story they told me I’m not guessing”, explained Awut.

Hon. Awut said in her tour to Western Bahr-el-Ghazal and Warrap states that she photographed and registered 403 Street Children only that but the estimated number in these areas is over 2000 children.

She mentioned that some citizens were able to volunteer for her own team’s tour tickets, feed children and hospitalize them by cleaning their wounds.

The minister called upon every willing and able citizen who wants to contribute for the support of these children to come in her office and fill the form.

She called upon everybody and civil society organizations, NGOS to give whatever support they could offer. The minister accused the government of undermining and allocating fewer funds to her ministry (she said only 0.3% was allocated) She asked the SPLM deputy Secretary General what SPLM could support the ministry with.

“So the message I’m coming to comrade Ann and to all the comrades is; what is (the) SPLM going to do? Because SPLM is supposed to be looking at social issues and if the ministry is to do it will the ministry do it with 0.3 budget (national budget given to the ministry)”?

“The perception of this ministry is (that) a ministry (is) of women and children and SPLM as an institution says that women and children are not part of them! If they were part of them they will not give them 0.3 budget” Awut protested.

She reminded that gender was not only women and children but women and men, boys and girls altogether. On her part Dr Ann Itto said they (SPLM) will stand with minister Awut and support her.

“On the part of (the) SPLM we pledge to stand with comrade Awut. We are going to listen to details of how she wants to do her job. But what we promise is because we have structures of the party up to Buma level, and children also are our centre of activities, and if it means counselling we will offer that. Yes she has asked for volunteers we have so many volunteers, in fact SPLM is a volunteer’s organization. And we will be willing to stand with her work with the children, maybe some of us will even  offer our homes for them why not?”, said Itto.

Way forward

Hon Awut explained that these children (Street Children) like any other children in South Sudan have right to education, better and dignified life.

“For the long term (plan) as a right, our constitution is very clear that education is a right and compulsory for all. And I think these children are no exception they are part of a nation building. So in long term we are working with the ministry of Education to make sure that they identify the schools and these children are registered and go to school.”

She continued to elaborate “we want to look at the policy where these children when they reach a secondary school level government of South Sudan will need to exempt these children (from school fees)  to go to school freely and enjoy the same rights like other brothers and sisters are enjoying in South Sudan” she explained.

Last Sunday at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly appointed vice-president Wani Igga at the State House, President Salva Kiir warned that any minister who does not submit his ministerial programme within three months will risk losing his job.

Photo: Street children collecting empty water bottles