Chiefs of Greater Tonj pledge improved rule of law when traditional and modern laws are better aligned

In Tonj North and Tonj South, more than 60 traditional court actors recently took part in a pivotal training on ways to modernize customary laws and integrate them with the formal justice system to better protect the rights of women, children and other vulnerable community members.

The event featured passionate discussions and thoughtful reflections, highlighting a collective determination to push through meaningful changes when it comes to how laws in Warrap State are enforced.

The workshop was organized by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the Warrap State Ministry of Local Government and Law Enforcement.

With funding from the South Sudan Multi-Partner Trust Fund for Reconciliation, Stabilization, and Resilience (RSRTF), the initiative aims to clarify the role of customary law courts and to integrate human rights principles and local practices into national legal frameworks.

Paramount Chief Nyiin Athuai from Tonj South asserted the importance of everyone playing their parts to uphold the rule of law, starting at home.

“Creating a peaceful and just society begins in your own household, where we must prioritize the respect for women and take a strong stance against child marriages.”

Traditional leaders learnt about human rights and how to refer different kind of cases to the correct court structures.

Participants, including Chief Court Clerk John Chan, highlighted the logistical challenges involved in achieving this.

“We work under trees and must swiftly protect critical documents when it rains or becomes too windy,” he said, adding that new infrastructure for the rehabilitation of juvenile offenders is needed to avoid them being imprisoned together with adults.

The event, which laid the groundwork for an upcoming law validation workshop in in Wanhalel, resulted in several critical commitments and the crafting of actionable plans to make further tweaks to the legal frameworks involved.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).