Human rights commission calls on states to follow Lakes on ban on child marriages

The South Sudan Human Rights Commission’s has called on governments in the nine states and three Administrative Areas to take cue from the Lakes State government’s ban on forceful and early child marriages.

The Lakes State government led by Governor Rin Tueny Mabor, recently enacted the Lakes State Customary Law and Public Order Act 2022 to ensure protection and full realization of the child rights without let or hindrance.

“The South Sudan Human Rights Commission’s leadership led by Hon. Nyuol Justin Yaac, and the entire management staff received the good news that the Government of Lakes State have enacted Lakes State Customary Law and Public Order Act 2022, which criminalizes early and forced marriages for girl child in the State,” said the human rights commission in a statement in Juba on Tuesday.

The commission acknowledged the commendable job well done by Governor Mabor’s government.

It noted that Lakes State government had demonstrated necessary political will to deal away with the old-decades culture that perpetrates early child marriages, urging other state authorities to do the same.

“These State obligations are enshrined under article 17 of the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan 2011 as amended read together with the Child Act 2008 respectively,” it added.

The commission urged the government of Lakes State, development partners and the civil society organizations to immediately embark on awareness raising on the law accordingly, and in exercise of the constitutional mandate vested upon the commission under article 146 (1) (a) of the constitution, and section 7 (1) (a) of the South Sudan Human Rights Commission Act 2009.