Equality drive launched by African women leaders at landmark conference.

Women leaders called for swift, concerted action to advance gender rights at the first International Conference on Women's Transformational Leadership, in Juba, South Sudan on Tuesday.

Almost 400 women leaders from 15 African countries joined the UN-backed three-day conference, which opened on Monday, including former and current presidents.

The goal is to advance progress, tackle pressing concerns and find sustainable solutions to issues affecting women and girls in South Sudan and across Africa.

The conference's theme is GuwaTaMara, meaning the strength of women. During the meeting, speakers agreed that challenges persist in the areas of leadership and governance, climate change, economic challenges, access to education and gender-based violence.

'The protection of women's rights is important to us in Government,' South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Mayardit said. 'Our country cannot afford gender-based violence, as it hinders peace and development. Let us keep working towards a better day for women and girls.'

As the 2018 peace agreement enters its final phase, he said the Government will work hard to address challenges women face and to empower them across the country. Ongoing efforts include providing women with opportunities to develop their skills to better compete in the labour market.

The Government had already increased the percentage of women's representation from 25 to 35 per cent, given the challenges of insecurity and lack of power they face.

'While we have not fully met this quota, we will work to fulfill it and allow women to compete for the remaining 65 per cent,' said President Kiir.

'Good place to start'

Women's participation in African parliaments has doubled in the last decades, but more must be done, said UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, in a video statement to the conference.

'Many factors continue to impede women's leadership and participation on an equal basis with their male counterparts,' she said, emphasizing a need to boost efforts to correct this.

'We need to build a movement for transformational leadership, and South Sudan is a good place to start,' she said, pledging UN support for South Sudan in its ongoing efforts and further achievements. 'We need women to participate in finding solutions that work for all. Together, we can turn ambitions into action.'

The UN Deputy Special Representative Sara Beysolow Nyanti said the resilience and determination of South Sudanese women was an inspiration.

'It is...