Gale Julius Dada
At least 183 cases of gender-based violence were reported to health workers between January and April this year, according to statistics from the Family Protection Center of the Juba Teaching Hospital.
The figures indicate sharp rise in domestic violence since the government imposed restriction measures in March due to the spread of Covid-19, said Mary Otieno UNFPA Country Representative in South Sudan, Radio Bakhita reported.
She attributes the increase of gender-based violence to Covid-19 lockdown and the decrease in economic activity.
“Another 91 cases of gender-based violence were recorded since the partial lockdown was imposed on March; 250 cases of violence between couples were recorded during the same period”, she added.
Most of the cases involved sexual violence and physical assaults.
Ayaa Benjamin, Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare has called on the public to join hands in fighting domestic violence in the country.
She advises the victims of domestic violence to report perpetrators to authorities to help in the administration of justice.
The officials were giving their remarks on Monday during the UNFPA donation of dignity kits worth 1.5 million United States Dollars to South Sudan to meet the sanitary needs of vulnerable women and helping victims of gender-based violence.