By John Akoon
The Ministry of Health in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State is urging communities to report incidents of rape to the nearest health facilities for immediate medical attention.
In an interview with No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper on Tuesday, Marko Ayuel Ayuel, the director of Reproductive Health Services at the State Ministry of Health, noted that cases of gender-based violence have been prevalent in the state, with nine cases recorded in 2025.
“Report any case of gender-based violence to the nearest hospital, because most gender-based violence cases, including rape, are life-threatening and require medical attention from the experts,” Ayuel appealed.
He added that issues regarding age assessments for rape survivors are hindering the clinical management of cases at the High Court, urging parents to obtain age assessment certificates for their children.
“It may be complicated if the parents do not come to the hospital for age assessments. Cases may happen, and the rape survivor might not have the age assessments. This makes it difficult for the High Court and the Ministry of Health to issue age assessment certificates,” he added.
Gender-based violence (GBV), which includes physical, sexual, and psychological violence, is a major problem in South Sudan, with a high prevalence rate, particularly for women and girls.
In Northern Bahr El Ghazal, last year the cases of gender-based violence rose to 43, with 33 forced marriages and 10 rapes.
Speaking during a roundtable workshop organized by UNDP and other partners on the clinical management of rape and prosecution of sexual/gender-based violence cases in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State, Judge Kuol Deng, a member of the Aweil High Court, stated that the judiciary system will ensure justice for victims of gender-based violence in the state.
Kuol emphasized the necessity for police investigators to manage a comprehensive and well-documented record.
“Without proper documentation and evidence, the path to justice can be significantly hindered,” Kuol said during the roundtable workshop organized last week.