By Eddy Waure.
The community of Tindoka has formally declared an end to child marriage and sexual and gender-based violence, marking a historic commitment to protecting children and women following intensive community training conducted by AMREF Health Africa in collaboration with the State Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, with support from UNFPA, Canada, Sweden, and Norway.
The declaration ceremony on Wednesday formalized commitments made by the Tindoka Action Group, community leaders, and residents following comprehensive training on issues including sexual and gender-based violence, child marriage, hygiene and sanitation, sexual exploitation, and community development activities.
The historic declaration positions Tindoka Boma as a model community in Yambio County and reflects growing recognition that ending harmful practices like child marriage and SGBV requires community-level commitment and local leadership rather than enforcement from external actors alone.
Mr. John Moses Oto, Chairperson of the Tindoka Action Group, applauded AMREF Health Africa for its sustained commitment to community empowerment. He announced the community’s formal declaration with conviction and pride.
“Today, with the training we have acquired, we declare no child marriage and no SGBV in our Boma. We need to be an example to others in Yambio County,” he said, positioning Tindoka as a potential model for neighboring communities.
Mr. Oto emphasized that the declaration carries real consequences, stating that anyone violating the community’s commitment would be held accountable through local mechanisms. He further committed to advocating with other areas across the county to make similar declarations.
“We will continue to advocate for the rest of the areas across the county to do the same in their localities, because we want to avoid violence among ourselves,” he emphasized, reflecting broader vision of transforming social norms across multiple communities.
Headman Apollo Jacob characterized the declaration ceremony as a turning point for his people, emphasizing that the community’s commitment reflects heartfelt conviction rather than mere words.
“This declaration is not just words; it is a commitment from our hearts. As leaders, we will ensure that our children grow up free from harmful practices. Today, Tindoka has shown that change begins at home,” he said, highlighting the critical role of traditional leadership in supporting social transformation.
His statement recognizes that sustainable change requires not only training and awareness but also commitment from leaders whose authority and influence can enforce new norms and hold community members accountable.
Madam Amalia Elisama Abraham, Chairlady of Tindoka, expressed deep gratitude for the training program while speaking from the perspective of women who have experienced the harms targeted by the declaration.
“We appreciate AMREF and all partners for empowering us. As women, we know the pain caused by child marriage and SGBV. This declaration gives us hope that our daughters will live in dignity and safety,” she remarked, connecting women’s lived experience of harm to hope for future generations.
Her statement underscores those efforts to end child marriage and SGBV must center the voices and experiences of those most affected by these practices.
John Zebruna, Director General of the State Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, welcomed the community declaration and pledged comprehensive government oversight to ensure implementation.
“As Tindoka declares no child marriage and SGBV, the ministry will ensure implementation. We will monitor police custody, the Kingdom, and other departments arresting offenders. If anyone from Tindoka violates this declaration, they will face justice,” he affirmed, committing government institutions to supporting the community’s commitment through enforcement and accountability mechanisms.
His statement recognizes that community declarations, while symbolically important, require government support and enforcement capacity to achieve lasting impact.
Honorable Julie John, Member of Parliament and guest of honor at the ceremony, commended AMREF Health Africa and its partner organizations for their consistent support to communities, particularly in addressing gender-based violence and child protection.
“I urge the people of Tindoka to stick to what they have declared today. This is a bold step that will inspire others. We thank AMREF and partners for always standing with our communities,” she said, affirming parliamentary recognition of community-led efforts to end harmful practices.
Her participation as guest of honor signaled that the Tindoka declaration has gained attention at county and state levels, potentially influencing policy discussions and resource allocation for child protection and SGBV prevention.
The declaration ceremony concluded with formal signing of declaration documents provided by AMREF Health Africa, with community members pledging to fully implement the commitments made. The signing created an official record of the community’s commitment and provided symbolic affirmation of their determination to end child marriage and SGBV.
The formal documentation serves multiple purposes: it creates accountability, provides evidence of the community’s commitment to government and partner organizations, and establishes a reference point against which progress can be measured.
AMREF Health Africa’s support to Tindoka reflects its broader commitment to community-led social transformation. By training community action groups and supporting local leadership, AMREF recognizes that lasting change in social norms and practices emerges from communities themselves rather than being imposed externally.
The training curriculum—covering child marriage, SGBV, hygiene, sexual exploitation, and community development—addresses interconnected issues that affect child protection and women’s empowerment comprehensively.
The Tindoka declaration addresses critical protection challenges facing children and women in South Sudan. Child marriage remains widespread in many communities, often justified by poverty, cultural practices, or perceived need to form political alliances. SGBV, including sexual assault and intimate partner violence, represents a severe protection concern in a nation still recovering from prolonged conflict where violence has been normalized.
Efforts to end these practices face multiple challenges: poverty that creates incentives for child marriage, cultural practices that legitimize early marriage and gender-based discrimination, limited access to education particularly for girls, weak rule of law, and trauma from conflict that may normalize violence.
Tindoka’s declaration positions the Boma as a model that other communities in Yambio County and across Western Equatoria State can emulate. The involvement of diverse stakeholders—community leaders, women, government officials, and parliamentarians—demonstrates that ending child marriage and SGBV requires multi-level commitment.
The ceremony provided visibility and validation for community-led efforts, potentially inspiring other communities to pursue similar declarations and training.
The declaration reflects international human rights frameworks that recognize child marriage as a form of child abuse that violates children’s rights and dignity. Ending child marriage is essential for:
- Protecting girls’ health and safety
- Enabling girls to continue education
- Allowing children to develop psychologically and socially
- Preventing health complications from early pregnancy and childbirth
- Supporting girls’ future economic independence and agency
Research demonstrates that addressing harmful practices like child marriage requires changing community norms and values. When community leaders, elders, and community members collectively declare that a practice is unacceptable, it creates social pressure that deters individuals from engaging in the practice and supports those who refuse to participate.
The Tindoka declaration creates such norm change by making explicit that the community views child marriage and SGBV as unacceptable and subject to community accountability.
The community’s commitment to hold violators accountable reflects recognition that declarations alone are insufficient. Accountability mechanisms might include:
- Community discussion and mediation
- Referral to government authorities for legal prosecution
- Social sanctions and consequences within the community
- Support services for victims and survivors
The involvement of government officials, including the Director General of the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, ensures that community mechanisms can be supported by formal legal system when necessary.
As Tindoka Boma begins implementing its declaration, the community will face ongoing challenges requiring sustained commitment, training, economic support to address poverty-driven child marriage, and continued partnership with government and civil society organizations.
Success will be measured not only by formal absence of child marriage and SGBV but by tangible outcomes: girls continuing school, reduced prevalence of early marriage, increased reporting and prosecution of SGBV cases, and improved safety and dignity for women and children.
The Tindoka declaration marks a significant milestone in efforts to protect children and end gender-based violence in Western Equatoria State, demonstrating that community-led change is possible when communities receive training, resources, and support from organizations like AMREF Health Africa working alongside government and international partners.
