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Ms. Lagua Clare Ukuni (pictured above), the new Director of STEWARDWOMEN, assumed office on the 13th January, 2025. Ms. Lagua Clare Ukuni is a South Sudanese, with a Master Degree of Laws (LLM) in Human Rights and Democratization in Africa (Center for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, South Africa), postgraduate diploma in legal practice and bachelor degree in laws. Ms. Clare worked for the African Union Commission in Addis-Ababa (Ethiopia), and the African Union Missions in Somalia (AMISSOM) and the African Union Liaison Office in South Sudan as a human rights expert, and with humanitarian and development regional and international partners, in addition to the world of academia. Trained as a lawyer, Clare’s skills lie in human rights advocacy and research. Ms. Clare brings to STEWARDWOMEN fourteen (14) years of a wealth of experience in humanitarian work, especially in the field of women, peace and security. At STEWARDWOMEN, we strongly believe that Ms. Clare is the perfect woman, who will provide the requisite advocacy leadership on the rights of women and girls in South Sudan, and at regional and international levels. We appeal to all our partners, friends, collaborators and government authority to support Ms. Clare in this moral obligation. Yes, “women can do it”. Let’s join hands together to welcome Ms. Clare. She can be reached through, clare@stewardwomen.org, or stewardwomen@gmail.com.

South Sudan’s Judiciary, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), launched a mobile court Tuesday at Juba National Prison to expedite gender-based violence cases and reduce severe overcrowding. The court is a direct response to what the country’s chief justice called an “overwhelming and inhuman” situation during a visit to the facility. William Kaya Pacifico, Director of Training in the Judiciary, said the chief justice described the conditions as “a shame on the judiciary.” “That is why he has taken it as his first priority,” Kaya said at the launch ceremony. The initiative aims to clear a backlog of 129 prioritized cases involving GBV and juveniles by assigning four judges temporary high court powers. It seeks to address lengthy pre-trial detentions that contribute to prison congestion. Catherine Walaiula, a technical advisor for UNDP in South Sudan, described the court as a “milestone in advancing justice, protecting human rights, and promoting gender equality.” She said it provides a dedicated forum for swift and sensitive adjudication. GBV remains one of South Sudan’s most pressing human rights challenges, with survivors often facing stigma, delays and systemic barriers to justice. Justice Malou Yel Akok, President of the Court of Appeal for the Greater Equatoria Circuit, urged judges and lawyers to avoid unnecessary postponements. “We don’t need delays… we want to see that more than half or three quarters of cases are settled,” he said.