Navigating the Political Sphere: A Qualitative Study of Women's Agency and Barriers in Post-Transition South Sudan (2021-2026)

This qualitative study investigates the complex dynamics of women's political agency and the structural barriers they face in post-transition South Sudan between 2021 and 2026. Despite constitutional provisions and the revitalised peace agreement's emphasis on women's inclusion, their substantive political participation remains critically low. The research employs a feminist Africanist lens to explore this persistent gap. Data were collected through 35 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with women politicians, civil society activists, and community leaders across three South Sudanese states, alongside a thematic analysis of key policy documents from the same period. Findings reveal that women's agency is actively exercised through informal networks, coalition-building, and strategic navigation of patronage systems. However, this agency is severely constrained by entrenched patriarchal norms, economic disenfranchisement, and pervasive insecurity, which collectively undermine formal quotas and institutional mechanisms. The study argues that the post-2021 political environment has seen a reconfiguration rather than a dissolution of barriers, with new hybrid governance structures often sidelining women's voices. This research contributes to African feminist political theory by highlighting the interplay between formal and informal political realms in a fragile state context. It underscores the urgent need for interventions that move beyond numerical quotas to address the socio-cultural and economic foundations of exclusion, advocating for a holistic approach to genuine women's political empowerment in South Sudan and similar post-conflict African settings.