South Sudan Development and Social Equity Agency
Department of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion
Care to Change the World
Mandate and Strategic Objectives
The department is mandated to integrate gender equality and social inclusion into every policy, program, and partnership under SUDESA’s framework. Its objectives include establishing institutional safeguards against discrimination and gender-based violence, expanding economic opportunities for women and youth, and ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities. It also seeks to institutionalise data-driven decision-making by requiring disaggregated reporting and equity audits across all interventions.
Core Functions
To achieve these objectives, the department develops and enforces inclusion policies, codes of conduct, and grievance mechanisms that protect rights and promote accountability. It designs targeted programs that provide women and youth with access to skills, finance, and leadership opportunities, while also ensuring that disability inclusion and accessibility standards are applied across facilities and digital platforms. The department coordinates prevention and response mechanisms for gender-based violence and ensures that all programs are informed by disaggregated data and evidence-based learning.
Key Programs and Initiatives
The department leads initiatives that operationalise its mandate, including a Gender and Inclusion Mainstreaming Facility that provides technical support and compliance oversight for all departments. It implements programs that strengthen women’s entrepreneurship and leadership, establish survivor-centred services for gender-based violence, and promote accessibility through infrastructure upgrades and assistive technologies. These initiatives ensure that inclusion is not an afterthought but a core design principle in every SUDESA intervention.
Goals
Over the next five years, the department aims to ensure that every SUDESA program includes a gender and inclusion action plan with dedicated resources. It seeks to reach tens of thousands of women and youth with economic empowerment services, operationalise survivor-centred gender-based violence services in all program regions, and achieve accessibility compliance across the majority of SUDESA facilities and digital platforms. These goals are supported by a commitment to publish annual inclusion reports based on disaggregated data.
Impact and Value Proposition
The Department of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion strengthens the legitimacy and effectiveness of SUDESA’s work by ensuring that no one is left behind. Its interventions reduce exclusion risks, improve program outcomes, and expand the pool of entrepreneurs, workers, and leaders who contribute to national development. By pairing safeguards with empowerment, the department creates a foundation for social cohesion and inclusive growth.
Contact and Leadership
Department Head: [To be appointed]
Email: [official email placeholder]
Office Location: SUDESA Headquarters, Juba, South Sudan
