CDTY: Peace and Justice Committee Trained on Democratic Participation
CDTY: Peace and Justice Committee Trained on Democratic Participation
By Baraka John
The Sudan and South Sudan Catholics Bishops' Conference (SSCHC) Justice and Peace Commission department launched a two-day civic education and engagement training on Wednesday 15th, 2024 to promote peace and democratic participation within the Catholic Diocese of Tombura Yambio.
The training, which focuses on empowering members of the Diocese’s peace and justice committees, is designed to enhance their role in South Sudan’s democratic process.
The two-day program covers a range of topics, including South Sudan’s permanent constitution-making process, the theory of the social contract, church social teaching, civic roles and responsibilities, advocacy strategies, and the election process and its requirements.
Rev. Thomas Bagbiowia, Vicar General for the Catholic Diocese of Tombura Yambio, emphasized the importance of the training for both the Diocese and the broader community.
He highlighted that peace cannot exist without justice, stating, "This training is more beneficial for your transformation. This training is just like the objective of the media, which is to educate and transform. After acquiring the knowledge here, you will go outside to enlighten the community about their roles in civic and democratic participation."
The training was facilitated by Fr. John Opi Severino, the National Justice and Peace Coordinator for SSCBC.
He also noted that the program targets the eight Catholic dioceses of South Sudan, with the aim of equipping church leaders and their allies with the necessary knowledge to participate effectively in democratic processes.
Fr. Opi also shared that the initiative is supported by the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) and is intended to foster greater community and church involvement in South Sudan’s democratic journey. "We were trained in Juba about civic education, including how to conduct elections and engage in civic education," he explained.
Despite the postponement of South Sudan's elections until 2026, Fr. Opi emphasized that his office has developed a program to visit states and empower diocesan peace and justice committees. These committees are being trained to become key players in the peacebuilding and democratic processes in their communities.
