This study investigates the persistent gap between formal policy commitments to gender inclusion and the substantive realities of women's participation in peacebuilding and post-conflict governance in South Sudan. Employing a qualitative case study design, the research draws on semi-structured interviews with 25 women participants—including former combatants, civil society leaders, and local government officials—alongside 10 key informant interviews with international NGO staff and UN Women programme officers across Juba and three rural counties in Greater Upper Nile. The findings reveal that, despite the affirmative action provisions of the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) mandating 35 per cent representation for women, implementation remains uneven and frequently obstructed by patriarchal norms and institutional resistance. A dominant pattern emerges in which women's contributions are channelled into the 'soft' dimensions of peacebuilding—such as community reconciliation and service delivery—while their involvement in high-stakes political negotiations, security sector reform, and economic governance remains minimal. This gendered division of labour reinforces symbolic rather than substantive influence, suggesting that formal inclusion does not automatically translate into decision-making power. The study addresses contextual mechanisms left unresolved by prior research, demonstrating that women's agency is often confined to roles perceived as extensions of domestic responsibilities. These findings underscore the need for targeted policy interventions that move beyond numerical representation to address the structural and cultural barriers limiting women's meaningful engagement in post-conflict governance. References Achuil, A. N., et al. (2025). [Full reference details as per manuscript]. Akinbi, J. O. (2025). [Full reference details as per manuscript]. Asmorowati, S., & Ceesay, A. (2025). [Full reference details as per manuscript]. Ceesay, A., & Asmorowati, S. (2025). Beyond the peace agreement: Institutional weakness and governance challenges in post-conflict South Sudan. [Journal details as per manuscript]. Deng, L. B., & V., M. (2025). [Full reference details as per manuscript]. Garang, N. A., & Sims, K. (2025). [Full reference details as per manuscript]. Khan, Z. (2025). Women and armed conflict: Cultural obstacles to Pashtun women's participation in peacebuilding. [Journal details as per manuscript]. Mamo, D. F. (2025). Post-conflict interventions and liberal peacebuilding approach in South Sudan. [Journal details as per manuscript]. Nyuon, A. K., & Elia, L. L. (2025). Gender, governance, and peace: Policy implications of women's political representation in post-conflict South Sudan (2018–2025). [Journal details as per manuscript].