Grassroots women leaders from New Site, Goroyo 2, took an important step towards improving access to healthcare in their community by engaging the Central Equatoria State Minister of Health on urgent healthcare needs affecting women, children, and families on 4th of August 2026.
Following a mentorship training conducted by Global Voices Organization–South Sudan (GVO), with support from DanChurchAid under DANIDA funding, the women leaders identified key healthcare challenges facing their community and developed a petition outlining their concerns and calling for urgent action.
With support from GVO, five women representatives met with the State Minister of Health to present the petition and advocate for improved access to essential healthcare services. The discussion focused on the need to establish accessible healthcare services in New Site, Goroyo 2, and strengthen the capacity of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) to support safer maternal and newborn care.
The State Minister warmly received the women representatives and the GVO team, commending the women for coming together to identify their community’s challenges and engage directly with the relevant authorities. She assured the delegation that the Ministry of Health would visit New Site, Goroyo 2, to assess the situation and explore possible support based on the community’s needs and available resources.
The Minister also emphasized the importance of strengthening the knowledge and skills of Traditional Birth Attendants through appropriate training and capacity-building opportunities to improve maternal healthcare. She further indicated that, if skilled birth attendants were unavailable in the community, the Ministry might consider deploying trained health personnel to help address the gap.
The engagement demonstrated the importance of empowering grassroots women with the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills to identify community challenges, develop petitions, and engage duty bearers in advocating for change. It also highlighted how community-led advocacy could create opportunities for women to participate in decision-making and bring their concerns directly to those responsible for delivering essential public services.
Through its community mentorship and advocacy initiatives, Global Voices Organization–South Sudan continues to support women and girls in raising their voices, engaging decision-makers, and advocating for improved access to essential services. GVO recognizes grassroots women as important agents of change whose leadership and participation are vital to building healthier, safer, and more inclusive communities.
Global Voices Organization–South Sudan (GVO) remains committed to strengthening community voices and promoting meaningful engagement between grassroots women and duty bearers to advance the rights and well-being of women, girls, and their communities.
