Behavioural Change in Society.

March 17, 2022 1:34 pm

For a long time now, there have been discussions and some actions taken by different stakeholders to support girls’ education across South Sudan. However, evidence has shown that awareness about the importance of girls’ education alone is not enough; rather, there needs to be a process of behavioural, practice, and social change. South Sudan still witnesses cultural and societal practices that are biased towards girls’ education.

Due to negative socio-cultural beliefs/practices towards girls’ education, figures of girls’ educational attainments across the country are still below that of boys especially, in upper primary, secondary school and higher institutions of learning.

Girls’ Education South Sudan (GESS), through its Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) component, works to challenge and change negative socio-cultural beliefs and practices.

Through the BCC component, GESS uses a radio programme, ‘Our School’, which is broadcast on different radio stations across the country. GESS carries out community listening groups with those in media-dark areas where members of school communities (communities around schools), listen to the programmes through solar-powered radios and have discussions around the content. Listeners share lessons they have learnt and actions they are willing to take to support girls to join and/or remain in school.

Two weeks ago, GESS visited a school community in Lemon Gaba, Juba, to discuss the impact of the programme. During the interaction, a mother said, “We have sat as mothers to discuss how we can help young mothers to return to school. We also thought about how to support those with disabilities”.

A single mother of five, with one child with a disability who also attends the listening group stated, “I was almost giving up on paying fees for my children, but after listening to the radio programme on the importance of education and the testimony of a girl who is educated, I got the courage again to put my children in school. I told myself that I will run a small business to raise money, but I won’t let my children not go to school.”

GESS continues to challenge negative socio-cultural practices that act as barriers to education of girls and those with disabilities.

We call upon all stakeholders, including community leaders, to challenge any societal barriers that work against education of girls and those with disabilities. Educating a girl and children with disabilities is a collective effort.

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