THE UNFAVOURED GENDER. - BY: Grace Akon Andrew Biar

Dear men, why do cultures favor you so much? In South Sudan and around the world, cultures always rule in favor of men, making them richer and more superior.

First but not foremost, after a divorce, kids are considered to be the father's, as if a woman doesn't play significant roles in childbirth and upbringing. Come on men, what do you think we are?

Again, in marriage or relationship, a man approaches a girl of his choice but not the other way round; there is an invisible law here! Men author and culture imposes it. This law makes girls cheap if they choose to do as men do - approaching partners of their own choices.

Let's talk about girl's employment complexity for example. If a girl owns a position of respect in any organization, people, especially men, think she is the boss' side chick or so. Some men exploit women for the same cause. This is too sad. Please, can you begin to think positively about us?

Culture is a man made tool to weaken us. It will always favor him(man). Can we all think on the throne of gender equality to reconstruct culture for the good of all? We are tired and disadvantaged.

Look at it this way, when we decide on who to marry, families don't consider our reasons. Instead, they look at wealth. Mostly, we are beaten, rejected and ridiculed in attempts to let go our loved ones. Culture and people (men) Want to make girls believe they are incapable, inferior, a gender with no choices and feelings. This might not be true of every culture, however, it's the worst version of a typical African culture.

Similarly, if a family can not afford all the fees for every child in the house, the girls stay home as their brothers proceed with their studies, an aspect of culture that has ruined most girls' lives.

We all hope that one day, now or sooner, culture in all its aspects will also include women and girls in everything. That all may come to believe, we deserve equal opportunities as men.