South Sudanese Women’s Rights Activist Riya Yuyada Wins Amnesty Award

South Sudanese women’s rights activist Riya William Yuyada has been named one of three winners of the Ginetta Sagan Award by Amnesty International USA, recognises women who ‘protect the dignity, liberties and lives of women and children in crisis regions’.

This award is dedicated to all who’ve been part of our fight for justice, rights of girls/women in South Sudan 🇸🇸. I wouldn’t be recognized without your endless efforts, support, commitment&encouragement. Aluta Continua! @mishmishjuba @CrownTheWoman @athi3u #SSOT @ayak_abyei pic.twitter.com/rsfeMZIM7D

— Riya Yuyada:TheLightGoddess (@theonlyriya1) October 13, 2021

Yuyada was honoured on 13 October 2021 for her commitment to women’s safety, equality and empowerment in South Sudan. 

Yuyada is the executive director of Crown The Women, an NGO which strives to help women in South Sudan grow into a strong, secure, educated, confident, respectable, capable and ambitious woman and citizen by providing them with the necessary education, skills and resources.

Crown The Women has conducted mentorships in 10 schools in Juba to inspire girls to stay focused in school and to promote girls’ education. In addition, the group links older South Sudanese women as mentors with younger women struggling to overcome challenges.

Crown The Women addresses issues such as child marriage, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, gender equality and more.

As an awardee, Yuyada received USD20,000, which she plans to use to build a healing centre for survivors of rape and other gender-based violence in South Sudan.