This year's international theme was Connecting Girls: Inspiring futures, but Oxfam chose its own theme to suit the local context: Women and Water; particularly as women are the main caretakers of water in South Sudan - being responsible for its collection, use in cooking, washing and drinking, and for the general health, hygiene and well-being of their families.
I turned up in Jamam about one week before the day and quickly became absorbed in the running-around to organise the event. Gloria, one of our Hygiene Promoters, was the main event coordinator and I was more than happy to help out with the constant to-ing and fro-ing between Jamam and Bounj, an hour away, to distribute invitations to Government representatives, hire sound systems, shelters and chairs, and purchase prizes for participants.
We spent a lot of our time liaising with and buying food for the participating groups that were based in Bounj, Jamam, Kidwa and in the refugee camps. The Jamam market - especially the goat market -made a killing from Oxfam in early March! We delivered food to each participating group so that they could enjoy a lunch of goat, rice and ugali after their efforts, which they cooked up in their communities.
Our EP&R hygiene promoters were responsible for preparing the dancing and drama groups from the Jamam camp; our Public Health team pulled together to get the different local groups involved.
When the day quickly arrived, we were more than ready. We'd sent vehicles to Bounj to collect the dignitaries and to Kidwa for the participating dance groups and Oxfam-trained volunteers; the shelter in front of Jamam Basic School was erected, ready to provide the dignitaries and other invited guests with shade; our IWD t-shirts were apparently on their way; the participating groups had their songs and dramas ready to go, and were already amassing at their starting locations to begin marching to the site. By 9am, hundreds of people had gathered to witness what was going to happen, the Umda and other chiefs from the camp in their blazing white jalabia were seated under the shelter, and the various groups had begun arriving in their brightly coloured sarongs, beautiful beadwork and Oxfam shirts.
Unfortunately the dignitaries in Bounj weren't ready - in fact we weren't sure what they were doing, because we'd sent the landcruiser to Bounj around 7am. So, to stall proceedings, we allowed the different groups to start parading their different traditional songs and dances in the square where everyone had gathered.
The square was a mass of colour and noise, each group dancing in their own unique way with their unique instruments, locally made spears and staffs, feathered costumes, all stamping, chanting and shuffling in unison, and generally having a great time.
When the dignitaries finally did arrive, everyone stopped and stood to attention. People really do respect their 'big people' here in South Sudan - particularly when they're attached to the SPLA. Our guests of honour were the Executive Director of Maban County (representing the Commissioner), the Payam Executive Officer from Jinkwata, and women’s representatives from the SPLM in Maban and Jinkwata Payams.
Their speeches were all very poignant and relevant to the issues of the day, and in addition - as expected - they turned somewhat political, but importantly they emphasised the importance of peaceful co-existence between the host and refugee communities and the sharing of resources, especially water. All speakers also stated that the refugees from Sudan were very welcome in Maban County, which I found heartening. I hoped that their strong words would quash some of the unrest that was brewing between the groups in relation to the sharing of water.
But the desire to keep dancing couldn't be contained for long and the local group from Jamam kept breaking out into dance in the square, flying in the face of the big people. There were plenty of people around them to quickly get them under control, which I found rather amusing.
And then, in what I found a rather amusing but simultaneously bemusing display for International Women's Day, was an impressive but rather male-dominated demonstration from the Taekwondo group from Demazin, Blue Nile. After the two senior members showed off their skills in cutting flaming bricks in half with their bare hands, they then proceeded to give us all a body building demonstration. Can't say I minded, the human body is a beautiful thing, but the underlying masculinity of it all maybe was a little out of place!
Still, the crowd loved it, the dignitaries and chiefs were rather impressed and amused by it, and the two men received huge applause on conclusion of their demonstration to which they responded with equal gusto! Ahh hilarious. But overall, the day was a success, and the importance of women really brought to the fore.
And so I finish with a quote from my colleague John Bosco, from his weblog. He also wrote about IWD from Rumbek, and I found his final conclusion really great:
The best present for the rural women is therefore not one day out of 365 days in a year. It is a set of actions and commitments by governments, aid agencies and other development workers to addressing and reducing the series of problems faced by women. The best present for women is step by step actions/efforts that give women equal access and control to productive resources as men. And a perfect recognition that women, are fully equal to men in rights and all aspects of life.
You can read more about it at http://jbwalesblog.wordpress.com/2012/03/20/the-best-present-for-rural-women/.
This is what IWD is really about - and we should be doing more. One day isn't enough!
I also included the event report that Gloria and I wrote for Oxfam. It might be a bit formal (and possibly boring), but it gives you an idea of how we celebrated the day...
International Women’s Day
Thursday 8th March 2012
International Theme: Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures
Local theme: Women and water
Jamam, Maban County
Upper Nile State - South Sudan
Due to the fact that half of the world’s poor people are women, Oxfam GB puts women at the heart of what we do. Therefore, Oxfam GB held celebrations to mark International Women’s Day 2012 in Jamam.
The Event
His Excellency, the Executive Director of Maban County, gave the keynote speech at the celebration of International Women’s Day on 8th March 2012 in Upper Nile. Oxfam GB coordinated the event and invited representatives from a number of local authorities and humanitarian organisations to attend.
The theme of International Women’s Day 2012 is Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures. However, due to Oxfam GB’s core activities of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Maban County and involvement of local communities in these activities, a local theme of Women and Water was chosen. Oxfam GB acknowledges the fact that the issue of water is critical to women due to the important role they play as the primary water caretakers and custodians of good health and hygiene in their homes and communities. As such, they are the ones who understand best the needs and issues related to water. This theme aimed to celebrate and increase awareness of the role women play in providing water.
The event was held at Jamam Basic School in Jamam town, a central meeting point for participating community members who marched from their host communities. Around 2000 people were estimated to have attended.
Community Participation
Groups from the Jamam refugee and Maban host communities performed drama, dance and songs during the celebration of International Women’s Day. Hygiene promotion volunteers from the refugee community were represented, together with Water Management Committee representatives and Community Hygiene Promoters from the host community.
Participating groups included:
§ Jamam Community-Based Organisation (host community)
§ Jamam Basic School Hygiene Club (host community)
§ Kidwa Oxfam volunteers (host community)
§ Drama groups (refugee community)
§ Jamam Camp Hygiene Promotion volunteers
The performances contained messages on the importance of good hygiene and sanitation practices, including hand washing with soap, drinking safe water, malaria prevention and prevention of diarrhoea through good environmental, food and personal hygiene practices.
Traditional dancing groups from the Kidwa Kenya, Gabanet and Soda communities also participated and a Taekwondo group from Demazin, Blue Nile, gave a demonstration.
Speeches
The following guests gave speeches at
International Women’s Day 2012:
- The Executive Director of Maban County (representing the Commissioner)
- The Payam Executive Officer from Jinkwata
- Women’s representatives from the SPLM in Maban and Jinkwata Payams
- Oxfam GB Emergency Preparedness & Response program manager
Key emphases in the speeches were:
- Without women, there is no life – they are the main water providers for their families and communities, and water is life. Women play a vital role in the community, not only because they are the primary water caretakers, but because everyone has a mother!
- The importance of peaceful co-existence between the host and refugee communities, as they are one people, and should live peacefully together. It was also emphasized that sharing of resources, especially water, needs to occur to allow this co-existence and meet the needs of both communities. All speakers stated that the refugees from Sudan were very welcome in Maban County.
Community awareness
Awareness of the event was undertaken by practising marching, dancing and singing in public areas in the lead-up to the day. The various groups were mobilized around two weeks beforehand and received ongoing assistance with their preparations. Various community leaders and local authorities were also mobilized through invitations and asked to raise awareness of the event in their communities. Through Oxfam’s ongoing work with volunteers from the host community and refugee community, the word was spread. On the day of the event, the groups marched around their communities before converging on the event location, and music was also played through the public address system, in order to attract people.
Incentives for community
groups
Participating groups in IWD were provided with sodas and biscuits during the celebration, as well as lunch afterwards. Communities agreed to cook it within their villages and the supplies were delivered the day before the event.
Prizes were awarded to the two groups deemed to have performed in the most entertaining, organised and effective manner in terms of communicating water, sanitation and hygiene messages to the crowd.
Building
relationships with local authorities
The following representatives of local
authorities attended
International Women’s Day 2012:
- Executive Director of Maban County (representing the Commissioner)
- Women’s Representatives from the SPLM in Maban and Jinkwata Payams
- Executive Officers from Jinkwata, Jinmagda and Mhor Ahmer Payams
- Chiefs from the Host and Refugee Communities
- WASH Supervisor from the County Department of Rural Water, Supply and Sanitation
An invitation was also sent to the County
Ministry of Education.
After the event, the guests were invited to the Oxfam GB compound in Jamam to share lunch with staff. This aimed to build upon the existing relationship with local authorities in order for future Oxfam activities to run more smoothly.
It was the first time that the government representatives
had visited the compound, and they were impressed to see what Oxfam has
constructed in Jamam. The Executive Director addressed staff and other guests
and praised the work of Oxfam GB in providing water and sanitation for the
Maban community and the refugees from Sudan. In a positive gesture, he also
offered the full support from the County Commissioner’s office for future Oxfam
GB activities in Maban County.
Achievements from
the event
Based on the various activities performed,
around 2000 individuals were reached with hygiene and sanitation messages. The
event provided an opportunity to celebrate a global event, promote the role of
women in the community and also disseminate important messages on hygiene and
sanitation.
The event also provided an opportunity for
the various groups to interact and learn from each other. This interaction goes
a long way towards building good relationships and achieving peaceful
co-existence between the various communities, a point appreciated and
emphasized by all speakers.
The need for the refugee and host
communities to share resources, in particular the water sources, is vital in
assisting Oxfam with the provision of safe water, a task with which we are
currently overwhelmed.
Challenges
faced
IWD-branded t-shirts were ordered from Juba
for the celebration but failed to arrive despite being ordered some time ago, which demoralised some of the participants. When they arrive, they will be distributed
to participating groups.
There were also many overriding
expectations from participating groups, who expected to receive a great deal
more food and non-food items than what Oxfam was offering them.
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