Protection Sectoral People in Needs
Protection Sectoral Severity of Needs
Needs
Prolonged conflict, insecurity, and climate change have had profound impacts on vulnerable populations in South Sudan. The Protection cluster's Protection Risk Assessment (PRA) conducted in August 2023 highlighted that GBV is a pressing issue with alarming prevalence rates. The 2023 ISNA findings also underscored the urgency for interventions focusing on GBV prevention, risk mitigation, and response. Children face significant risks of violence, exploitation, and abuse due to conflict, forced recruitment, displacement, family separation, and limited access to education, nutrition, and health care. Explosive hazards covering over 16 million square meters of land—particularly in Greater Equatoria, Upper Nile, and Jonglei pose a significant threat, limiting access to crucial humanitarian services. In 2024, conflict and severe climate events, including flooding and drought-like conditions, are expected to trigger additional displacement. The upcoming national election will likely bring a risk of election-related violence and instability. Conflict in Sudan has negatively affected South Sudan's economy, resulting in higher food and fuel costs and risks for sub-national violence. Diminishing humanitarian funding may further hinder access to vital services, exacerbating the existing vulnerabilities.
Protection Sectoral People Targeted
Response
The Protection cluster's comprehensive approach aims to address the multifaceted protection needs. This includes providing life-saving protection services such as monitoring, identifying, and referring people with protection needs to specialized psychosocial support, legal aid, shelter, and other targeted assistance for vulnerable individuals. The cluster's protection strategy aligns with the HRP strategic objectives (SO) to address complex humanitarian challenges in South Sudan. Under SO1, the cluster aims to reach more than 1.7 million people with life-saving and specialized protection services. The General Protection Area of Responsibility (GP AoR) targets 571,000 individuals, offering protection assistance through static or mobile means. The Child Protection (CP) AoR plans to provide life-saving services to 71,000 children, including case management and family tracing.
Additionally, the CP AoR intends to offer community-based mental health and psychosocial support to 253,000 children and caregivers. The GBV AoR aims to reach 546,700 beneficiaries through GBV prevention, risk mitigation measures, life-saving specialized response services, and effective referrals. Additionally, the cluster will assist 420,000 South Sudanese returnees with life-saving protection services.
Under SO2, more than 288,000 people will be assisted with vital protection services, including support for issues related to housing, land, and property (HLP). This involves conducting key informant interviews, establishing or strengthening dispute resolution mechanisms for HLP issues, and training local institution staff to operate within these mechanisms. The GBV AoR and the CP AoR also aim to reach thousands of individuals with awareness activities and training for community leaders, humanitarian staff, and government personnel. The Mine Action (MA) AoR plans to reach 507,000 people with Explosive Ordnance Risk Education. Under SO3, the cluster plans to reach 10,000 community members and staff with training on GBV and child protection (including social norms change interventions) to achieve long-term effects. Some 250 community-based mechanisms will be strengthened to support PSEA, peacebuilding, and resilience activities. The plan includes strengthening child protection referral pathways across 79 counties.
"I have lost everything, including my dignity. Now, someone has to provide food for my family."
- Father of 3 on arrival from Sudan
Monitoring
The cluster will monitor the response through 5Ws, the Protection Monitoring System, and periodic protection risk assessments at the country level. The response will be continuously monitored in conjunction with state-level reports, recommendations, and assessments provided by the Protection Monitoring Working Group. External reports will consistently issue recommendations and updates, including protection analysis updates, monthly spotlights, advocacy notes, and ad hoc situation reports.
Child Protection
Data from the Protection Monitoring Working Group indicates that the situation in South Sudan constitutes a crisis primarily focused on child protection. The extended conflict, coupled with recurring climate-related challenges, has significantly affected 2.5 million boys and girls, exposing them to various forms of abuse, including recruitment, displacement, separation from caregivers, and exploitation, with child neglect and sexual violence among the concerning issues. While the needs across population groups remain similar, the CP AoR will focus on areas significantly affected by different types of child abuse, particularly areas hosting children fleeing the Sudan crisis.
Key focus areas entail providing psychosocial and mental health support, family tracing, case management for children, and community engagement to raise awareness about services guided by Child Protection in Emergencies (CPiE) minimum standards. The CP AoR aims to reach 29,000 children and caregivers with immediate life-saving and specialized protection services, emphasizing the reunification of unaccompanied and separated children. Moreover, it plans to enhance knowledge on accessing services and CPiE standards among 7,000 community members, facilitated by cash-based interventions, mobile units, and capacity-building of service providers.
To ensure the effectiveness of interventions, monitoring will occur through the 5W matrix, contributing to the monthly Protection cluster dashboard. The AoR will create a dedicated dashboard for more tailored monitoring. Regular situation reports will better understand impacts, progress, and gaps. Moreover, the quality of case management for child survivors will be monitored using the Child Protection Information Management System, which will be the basis for ad hoc analysis (case conferences) and monthly strategic meetings (case management task force).
"We are so hopeful because now we are here, away from the guns"
- 15 year old boy, Renk
Gender-Based Violence
Prolonged conflict and climate change have driven a considerable segment of South Sudanese into poverty, resulting in increased reliance on humanitarian aid. GBV is widespread, particularly affecting women and girls due to entrenched societal norms and practices that violate their rights. Intimate partner violence and conflict-related sexual violence are prevalent due to the prolonged nature of the conflict. A national prevalence study on violence against women and men conducted in 2022 revealed that 58 percent of women and girls experienced at least one form of GBV over the last 12 months. There is an urgent need for GBV prevention, risk mitigation, and scale-up of response services in 25 priority counties.
The GBV AoR will prioritize three strategic response priorities: addressing harmful social norms and systemic gender inequality to prevent GBV, integrating GBV into humanitarian action of clusters, and enhancing access to coordinated, multi-sectoral specialized response services. GBV coordination will be strengthened to bridge gaps and avoid duplication. Qualitative and quantitative data availability will be improved for evidence-based programming and advocacy.
Priority interventions for GBV prevention will include engaging men and boys through accountable practices, conducting "start, awareness, support, action" programs, and the Community Cares Programme. It includes economic empowerment, livelihood support, awareness sessions, and PSEA. Key interventions for GBV risk mitigation will involve collaborating with all clusters to integrate GBV into their programs, conducting multi-sectoral safety audits, providing dignity kits, distributing fuel-efficient stoves, and offering cash assistance. In the GBV response area, the AoR focuses on priority interventions, including GBV case management, psychosocial support, legal aid, safety and security, safe houses, women and girls' friendly spaces, and effective referrals for GBV survivors. Response approaches will utilize both static and mobile service delivery methods, involving the provision of front-line services, cash assistance, and in-kind support, with immediate response efforts prioritizing counties with severity classification levels of 3 and 4 as determined by the 2024 needs analysis. The GBV AoR aims to reach 546,700 beneficiaries, including 45 percent IDPs, 35 percent returnees, and 20 percent resident communities through GBV program interventions. The response will require $36.45 million, including for the Phase 1 response to the returnees from Sudan.
The GBV response will be monitored through the 5W reporting mechanism to track the delivery of GBV interventions and their locations. Data analysis from the GBV Information Management System (GBVIMS) will inform program adjustments. Critical indicators for monitoring the GBV response plan include the number of people reached with GBV prevention initiatives, survivors receiving case management and referral services, beneficiaries of women and girls' friendly spaces, trained staff and community workers on GBV topics, individuals supported with legal aid and women and girls receiving dignity kits. Additionally, trends in reported GBV incidents will be tracked through GBVIMS. Regular field monitoring visits and GBV service mapping will be conducted to assess service availability and to identify gaps. The GBV AoR plays a crucial role in guiding partners toward a result-based management approach for effective program monitoring and evaluation.
The detailed GBV strategy can be found here
"I don't feel safe, even here. I worry about what will happen during the the nights"
- 29 year old displaced mother following violence in the Malakal POC
Bor South County, Jonglei State, South Sudan.
Poetry and drama club students read poems about the ending of GBV and child marriage at Saint Andreas High School.
OCHA/Alioune NdiayeMine Action
Landmines, cluster munitions and other ERW potentially contaminate an estimated 16 million square meters of land in South Sudan. The highest levels of contamination are located in the Greater Equatoria region (especially on highly productive agricultural land and along main supply routes) and in the Upper Nile and Jonglei states. These hazards severely affect critical activities for communities, inhibiting their access to essential services, including water, education, and health care. Furthermore, these remnants limit humanitarian organizations' efforts to provide life-saving assistance and protection, especially in conflict-affected areas. To ensure the safety and security of the population, it is essential to prioritize clearing hazardous areas, conducting comprehensive surveys, and providing tailored education and awareness to communities, especially the most vulnerable groups, to alleviate these threats.
Although the needs of different population groups are similar, IDPs and returnees are at heightened risk as they may lack local knowledge of contaminated areas and may traverse and settle in marginal and hard-to-reach lands that have previously not been assessed. At present, nearly 400,000 returnees, primarily South Sudanese, have sought refuge in South Sudan due to conflicts in neighbouring Sudan. Eastern Equatoria is also a primary destination for returnees from Uganda.
All community members, especially IDPs and returnees, require increased awareness regarding the dangers of ERW through the delivery of Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE). The EORE must be tailored to be sensitive to gender, age, and contextual factors, particularly for children, as they make up the majority of casualties. The widespread presence and circulation of small arms and light weapons remain a concern, calling for comprehensive awareness programs to mitigate associated risks.
There is a need to assess further and conduct comprehensive countrywide surveys, particularly in regions such as Upper Nile and Jonglei states, where access challenges persist due to security concerns and past flooding events. There is also a need to clear high-impact areas, such as potential camps and resettlement locations. In light of the prevalent food insecurity, removing explosive ordnance on agricultural lands is also critical to enable cultivation and ensure safe passage for displaced individuals.
"I know you cleared this area for shelters, but now we can play football on it."
- 9 year old boy playing with his friends in Malakal POC site.
Juba County, Central Equatoria State, South Sudan.
A mine action team checking for an area for safety from land mines and UXOs at Gorom refugee camp.
OCHA/Alioune NdiayeHousing, Land and Property (HLP)
HLP remains a critical protection concern in South Sudan, particularly for 1.68 million vulnerable people who need HLP services. The outbreak of the Sudan crisis in mid-April resulted in an influx of people seeking safety from the conflict. The regions most affected by HLP-related concerns are Central Equatoria, Upper Nile, and Unity states, where the demand for HLP assistance is among the highest. Across the country, HLP challenges have surged, particularly in areas of return due to illegal occupation, forced eviction, and grabbing of properties and land. The absence of dispute resolution mechanisms only compounds the risk of violence, potentially escalating community conflicts.
Violation of HLP rights is associated with weak HLP legal frameworks and institutions, inadequate implementation of HLP policies, repressive cultural norms coupled with a lack of documentation, limited knowledge of HLP rights, and lack of legal aid services. The vulnerability of women and girls to GBV contributes to the violation of their HLP rights. Climate change and environmental challenges significantly affect HLP rights, especially for populations in flood-affected areas, where recurring climate change-induced displacement compounds shelter needs in addition to conflict over
natural resources.
There are similarities in the needs of different populations— returnees, IDPs, refugees, and resident communities. However, the lack of local HLP knowledge among resident communities, IDPs, and returnees can lead to community conflicts over settlements on disputed land. The HLP AoR will address HLP issues in South Sudan, using multi-sectoral, people-centered, conflict-sensitive approaches to address individual vulnerabilities and needs.
Priority interventions for the HLP AoR will include advocacy for HLP policy reform at national and state levels through roundtable dialogues and bilateral engagements with the relevant stakeholders; capacity-building of HLP actors (Government ministries, NGOs, CSOs, academia, media, etc.); assessments and research; provision of legal aid, including the security of tenure documentation; and provision of technical guidance in areas of due diligence and HLP in emergency. The AoR will fast-track HLP policies and coordinate HLP actors on lessons learned and knowledge-sharing.
"I want to go home, but all the men in my family were killed. The land is in their name. I don't know how to claim the land of my father."
- 43 year old displaced woman who wishes to return to Unity State