South Sudan

Field Operation

South Sudan witnessed a fleeting period of peace after the signing of the Revitalized Peace Agreement in 2018 (R-ARCSS). But continuous intercommunal conflicts across the country, military clashes, and economic decay coupled with climatic shocks have reversed many of the advancements made and newly added to the number of protection risks experienced by people. Opposition groups proliferate in the country with indignant violations of ceasefire agreements and undermine efforts to address sustainable and durable solutions, food security, displacement, and other social vulnerabilities of civilians.

South Sudan has an agropastoral economy—the weak national infrastructure, governance, and systems to cope with natural hazards are therefore striking at the root of people’s subsistence. It has triggered a cycle of displacement, with many unable to return home and those who are left behind are landlocked without adequate access to humanitarian and protection services.

South Sudan

Protection Issues

Different parties to the conflict in South Sudan have often attempted to reach peaceful agreements. But these efforts have been short-lived—unraveled by intercommunal violence and attacks among ethnic groups. Daily inter-tribal violence over raiding of cattle, burning villages and shelters, kidnapping children for forced recruitment or girls for early marriages, are often coopted and mobilised by military and political groups, exacerbating political conflict and posing threats to civilian wellbeing. Most of the population can be categorized as poor, and with humanitarian access seriously compromised, they are left to fend for themselves in hostile environments. Women and girls are particularly at risk in the country.

South Sudan

Cluster Operation

The Protection Cluster was activated in South Sudan to ensure the coordination of protection interventions in emergencies and to respond to the protection needs of people affected by conflict and natural disasters. It is composed of the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Area of Responsibility (AoR), the Child Protection (CP) AoR, the Mine Action (MA) AoR and a Housing, Land, and Property AoR. The Protection Cluster is led by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and co-coordinated by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

The mission of Protection Cluster is to ensure well-coordinated, effective, and principled preparedness actions and responses, and that protection is at the core of all humanitarian actions as a lifesaving activity and recognized as essential in any nexus with development and peace action to achieve solutions. (SSD PC Key Messages on Protection as Life-Saving).

The Protection Cluster under its Strategy is addressing the cross-cutting humanitarian areas by facilitating cooperation frameworks, analysis, engaging in the development and design of actions related to localization, the Humanitarian-Development-Peacebuilding (HDP) Nexus, Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA). More details on the Protection Cluster directions in HNRP 2025.

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The Protection Cluster Dashboard landing page provides information on the national and sub-national coordination structures, as well as 5Ws and service mapping across all functional areas, protection services, and assistance delivered in South Sudan.

Protection Cluster South Sudan collects monthly data from member organizations on the delivery of protection services to people in need and displays the information on the 5W interactive dashboard below:

Additionally, the Protection Cluster Service Mapping Dashboard (see page 3 of the above dashboard) is used for analysis and identification of the gaps in relation to protection risks, response planning in respective areas, and to draw the attention of ICCG for resource mobilization and effective response coordination. Also, the dashboard is used as a referral pathway for protection service providers upon receiving support inquiries.

The top five protection risks in South Sudan in 2024 were: Gender-Based Violence, Theft, Extortion, Forced Eviction or Destruction of Personal Property, Child, Early or Forced Marriage and Family Separations, Discrimination and Stigmatization, Denial of Resources, Opportunities, Services and/or Humanitarian Access and Attacks on Civilians and Other Unlawful Killings, and Attacks on Civilian Objects.

Out of 11.29 million shocks (floods, famine, influx, poverty, displacement) affected the population of South Sudan (IDPs, Returnees, Residents), approximately 9.18 million people (81% of the affected population) are exposed to at least one of the top five protection risks. Further analysis shows that 98% of returnees (840K people) are the most protection risk-exposed population group, followed by IDPs at 81% (1,58M).

Useful Links to South Sudan Legal Framework documents

1. National Legal Framework

Transitional Constitution of South Sudan (2011, as amended):

Guarantees the rights of returnees, including life, dignity, liberty, and other fundamental freedoms as detailed in the Bill of Rights. Article 59(d) of the Transitional Constitution mandates the National Legislature to supervise the return and reintegration of IDPs and refugees.
Recognizes the rights to freedom of movement, residence, and protection for all citizens (equally).
Ensures that the government protects vulnerable groups, including IDPs, under Articles 12 and 20.

R-ARCSS: The Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) emphasizes creating an enabling environment for the safe, dignified, and sustainable return and (re)integration of displaced populations.

Chapter 2: Prohibits actions that impede humanitarian access and commits to protecting human rights, including the prohibition of sexual and gender-based violence, the use of child soldiers, and attacks on IDPs and refugees.
Chapter 3: Calls for a supportive political, administrative, operational, and legal environment for delivering humanitarian assistance and protection during the transitional period.
Special Reconstruction Fund (SRF): The R-ARCSS calls for the establishment of the SRF to invest in early recovery and infrastructure in conflict-affected areas, including assisting and protecting displacement-affected populations.

National Framework on Return, Reintegration and Relocation of Displaced Persons:

Achieving Durable Solutions in South Sudan (2019): This framework provides guidelines specifically based on Chapter III of R-ARCSS—2018 for creating a conducive environment for the return and reintegration of displaced persons.

Protection and Assistance to Internally Displaced Persons Act (2019): The Act provides the legal framework for preventing arbitrary displacement, providing protection and assistance, and achieving durable solutions for IDPs in South Sudan.
National Development Strategy (2021-2024): This strategy focuses on facilitating socioeconomic opportunities and livelihoods for displacement-affected populations and promoting sustainable development and resilience.
South Sudan Action Plan on Return, Reintegration and Recovery 2020-2022: Operationalizes the National Framework on Return, Reintegration and Relocation of Displaced Persons: Achieving Durable Solutions in South Sudan (2019).
Durable Solutions Strategy and Plan of Action 2022: This strategy addresses the needs of Refugees, IDPs, Returnees and Host Communities across the country.
South Sudan Action Plan on Return, Reintegration, and Recovery: Achieving Durable Solutions 2024-2028 (“Action Plan”)

2. Regional Instruments

Kampala Convention (2009):

South Sudan is a signatory to the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention), which obliges the government to prevent displacement, protect displaced populations, and provide durable solutions.

Djibouti Declaration and Plan of Action on Education (2017) emphasizes the importance of providing quality education for refugees and displaced persons and integrating them into national education systems.
IGAD Initiatives: The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) supports regional cooperation on displacement and encourages South Sudan to align with its frameworks. Kampala Declaration on Jobs, Livelihoods, and Self-Reliance for Refugees, Returnees, and Host Communities in IGAD Region (2009): Aims to enhance economic opportunities and self-reliance for refugees, returnees, and host communities by encouraging policies and programs that promote employment, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihoods, recognizing the contributions and needs of all stakeholders in the region affected by displacement.
Great Lakes Protocols on the Protection and Assistance to IDPs and on the Property Rights of Returning Persons (2006): The pact on security, stability, and development in the Great Lakes Region serves as a legal framework and an agenda of the ICGLR, with the aim of creating conditions for security, stability, and development between the member states. It was adopted by the Heads of state and government of the ICGLR member states in Nairobi in December 2006 and entered into force in 2008.

3. International Frameworks

Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (1998):

Although not legally binding, these principles guide South Sudan’s approach to protecting IDPs.
Emphasizes the right to safety, dignity, and voluntary return or resettlement.

Global Compact on Refugees (2018): Designed to support joint responsibility sharing, self-reliance, and conditions in countries of return for countries responding to significant displacement challenges. Includes provisions for education, burden-sharing, jobs and livelihoods, energy and infrastructure, durable solutions, and building protection capacity.
The UN Secretary-General’s Action Agenda on Internal Displacement (2022) focuses on enhancing global efforts to address displacement, promoting sustainable solutions, and strengthening the resilience of affected populations.