On Wednesday, May 7, 2025, SIHA hosted a special awards ceremony, held both in person at the Universal Gab Hotel in Wau, South Sudan, and online to unveil this year’s winners of the Women at the Frontline Awards.
Three (3) exceptional grassroots Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) from South Sudan were recognized for their tireless efforts in combating violence against women and girls, dismantling barriers to leadership, and fostering women’s economic empowerment in conflict-affected communities.
Nomination Process
A public call for nominations invited community members, civil society actors, and grassroots organizations to put forward outstanding WHRDs for consideration. From a pool of strong candidates, an independent committee selected the top three nominees based on the impact, reach, and significance of their work in advancing gender justice and promoting women’s rights.
Meet the 2025 Honourees
🏆 Mona Musa Manyang
A leading human rights defender and legal expert, Mona Musa Manyang currently serves as a Commissioner of Oaths in Wau and is a member of the Central Committee of the South Sudan Bar Association. She offers free legal aid to female survivors of gender-based violence, many of whom are married to security personnel, in one of the country’s most volatile regions. Mona is also the founder of the Alliance of Women Lawyers, a grassroots organization dedicated to improving women’s access to justice. Her efforts include promoting women’s leadership and conducting community outreach initiatives.
🏆 Ratual Adau
Founder and Executive Director of the Women’s Empowerment Centre South Sudan, Ratual Adau has supported eight women’s groups, reaching over 8,000 people through awareness campaigns on gender-based violence, human rights, and women’s empowerment. In 2019, she led a historic march that successfully advocated for increased women’s representation in both government and traditional leadership. She also spearheaded a UNICEF-funded project in North Barakasal, tackling early marriage, domestic violence, and gender inequality. Her work includes establishing Village Savings and Loan Associations to enhance women’s economic independence and leadership.
🏆 Juliata Lino Alberto
A dynamic young advocate, Juliata has championed women’s rights since completing secondary school over six years ago. What began as volunteer work evolved into a powerful platform for civic engagement and media advocacy. At the World Civic Engagement Centre, Juliata designs transformative programmes focused on women’s rights. In 2024 alone, she documented over 50 women’s stories and engaged more than 1,000 women and girls through community dialogues, radio broadcasts, and outreach initiatives. She also trained 75 women in conflict mediation and promoted women’s participation in elections, constitution drafting, and education. Juliata continues to advocate for inclusive, intergenerational leadership within trade unions and women’s associations.
A Message from SIHA
In her remarks, Hala Alkarib, SIHA’s Regional Director, reflected on the importance of these awards:
“Let the award be a celebration and a call to action for all of us to continue the incredible work that we do every day, supporting those who risk everything to make our society more just, more human, and freer.
To the honorees, thank you for your courage. You inspire us all. And to the women of South Sudan, thank you for your continued resilience.
💻 Couldn’t make it to the event? No problem! Watch the full ceremony here
