16 Days of Activism: Efforts underway in Torit to address sexual exploitation and abuse
Elias Taban Elias, President of the Torit Institute of Health Sciences Association, said: “I assure you that we will push for change and fight against sexual exploitation because our mothers and sisters bear the brunt of it bear these injustices.”
As Eastern Equatoria State commits itself to the global mission of eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls, students in Torit are trained on how to prevent such atrocities to protect themselves and their communities.
The event, organized by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare with the support of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), attracted more than 50 apprentices from the Torit Institute of Health Sciences.
The initiative, part of 16 Days of Action against Gender-Based Violence, aims to equip these learners with the knowledge they need to drive meaningful change.
“Understanding this issue is critical for our field of medicine. It allows us to manage cases with the utmost confidentiality and protect the dignity of survivors while reinforcing our commitment to the integrity of the profession,” Mr. Elias added.
As the holiday approaches, young people are expected to actively resist harmful cultural practices such as forced and early marriage.
Lily Tobias, consultant at the One Stop Center at Torit State Hospital, said: “This message needs to be disseminated widely and families and communities must understand how to use reporting mechanisms to report this horrific abuse.”
The number of school dropouts, single motherhood and related health problems such as fistulas are alarming, affecting mainly women under the age of 18 and having a significant impact.
Tobias Magezi, director of the Torit Institute of Health Sciences, hopes the meetings will inspire more community activists.
“While the institute has established a committee dedicated to preventing the abuse of women and girls, I urge our partners to continue supporting us in raising awareness of this critical issue,” he said.
The UNMISS team in Eastern Equatoria is working closely with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare to protect individual rights and address human rights violations, with the aim of creating a safer and more gender-responsive environment for all.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
