In South Sudan, three out of four people require humanitarian assistance because they are food insecure, have been displaced, arrived in South Sudan as refugees, or crossed from Sudan into South Sudan. These 9.4 million individuals face a combination of problems due to violence, not having enough food, extreme weather events, and public health concerns.
There are many problems that haven’t been solved across the country, especially when it comes to having enough food and ways to earn a living because crops are failing and the extreme weather events causing problems. Challenges with having clean water and good toilets are still big issues, made worse by floods and not having enough good quality infrastructure. Problems with safety and getting to places where people need help make the situation even harder.
Women and children are particularly affected by these crises, facing problems with staying safe and being able to go to school. Many children in South Sudan, around 4.5 million, do not have enough support for their mental health, which can affect how they grow up, learn, and feel in the long term. Children with disabilities face even more difficulties in getting education because of not having safe places to learn and not enough places to go to school.
The Joint Response
In this Joint Response, the partners work together in eight locations where humanitarian needs and gaps are high. They respond to the needs identified by the communities by providing multi-sectoral assistance in the areas. All partners are committed to incorporating innovations into the project’s implementation to address the ever-evolving context and challenges in the project locations.
The activities carried out under this Joint Response are the following:
- Food Security and Livelihoods: 92,892 people receive assistance aimed at safeguarding and restoring their livelihoods. This includes distributing food during emergencies arising from conflict, migration, or natural disasters to ensure immediate survival, as well as providing tools and seeds suited to the local climate. We also support diverse income-generating activities, encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation.
- Protection: 294,823 people will benefit from protection activities that focus on keeping children safe, preventing violence, and promoting peace. These efforts include creating safe spaces for children, reuniting them with their families if they’ve been separated, and monitoring child protection issues. Lessons learned will involve integrating adolescent sexual health into protection programs, engaging men and boys in preventing gender-based violence, and empowering communities to advocate for children’s rights and challenge harmful social norms. Additionally, efforts will focus on building resilience and creating economic opportunities for women and girls alongside initiatives to combat gender-based violence.
- Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene: Improving water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions for 87,840 people involves providing access to safe water sources and soap, raising awareness about hygiene, and establishing waste disposal facilities. Water points are being set up, and committees are formed with representatives from all parts of the community. Special attention is given to the needs of people with disabilities, and women and girls play a key role in choosing where these facilities are located to minimize risks related to gender-based violence.
- Education: 10,092 boys and girls will have access to safe and quality learning opportunities, with teachers receiving training and learning spaces being established or renovated. Key lessons include using locally produced teaching materials, incorporating locally available play materials, and introducing solar-powered tablets for English and math in primary schools.
- Nutrition: Nutrition activities involve conducting an annual survey to assess nutrition levels, providing nutrition services at health facilities, and screening 18,000 people for undernutrition.
- Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance: Multi-purpose cash assistance will support 7,194 individuals, providing both unconditional and conditional cash transfers based on their vulnerability and disability levels. The amount given will be determined by monitoring market prices and will cover a significant portion of the basic survival needs, as advised by the cash working group. Conditional cash assistance will involve programs like cash for work, where capable individuals will engage in community projects identified together.
