LocationsVal, a survivor of forced marriage and domestic violence with her child at her residence in Torit town.
Meet Val from Torit. She was forced to marry her husband by her parents without her approval and faced domestic abuse in the resulting relationship. She bore two children but was unhappy in the marriage.
During Rule of Law outreach activities in Torit, she learned about the Justice and Confidence Centre, which provides legal aid services and psychosocial support for GBV survivors. She approached the Centre to support her to get a divorce from her husband.
After filing the case, legal aid officers with SPIDO, a UNDP implementing partner, were able to engage with the father and father-in-law for a discussion on the rights of Val to petition for divorce and other related issues, such as the return of the dowry and custody of the children.
Val’s case was taken to the statutory court only to be referred to the customary court due to having the customary interface of the dowry involved. With continued support from legal aid practitioners and social workers, Val was assisted in navigating the Traditional B Court process and was ultimately granted a divorce. Val is now living freely with her children.
UNDP is working to enhance the physical and legal protection of people and communities in South Sudan by ensuring legal representation, access to justice, and empowerment of communities and civil society. As a pathway to strengthening the response to gender-based violence, UNDP is working with partners to consolidate legal provisions, establish institutional structures, and build the capacity of legal practitioners and justice systems.
Learn more about the project here.
