National Transformational Leadership Institute (NTLI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Child & Social Welfare (MGCSW) and ICAN, assessed women’s readiness to participate as voters and candidates in South Sudan’s national elections, which have been postponed due to unfulfilled prerequisites of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS). Based on a mixed-methods study of 726 respondents across the country, the findings indicate that women are not fully prepared to participate in the election process, primarily due to challenging local socio-cultural conditions—like traditional gender roles and a hostile political environment—and incomplete national political prerequisites, such as the finalisation of key legal frameworks. Despite these significant barriers, the survey also revealed a strong interest in politics among women, driven by a desire to improve lives and contribute to national development, leading the report to provide a comprehensive set of recommendations to improve women’s preparedness and increase their meaningful participation ahead of the planned 2026 elections.

Download the Report: Dec-2025-NTLI-Women-Preparedness-final-interior