JONGLEI - “Information is the backbone of communication. When the public lacks accurate information, rumors and misinformation can quickly spread and create conflict.” This warning from civil society leader Bol Deng Bol reflects growing concern among community leaders in South Sudan’s Jonglei, where peace actors are intensifying efforts to counter hate speech and strengthen peaceful coexistence between communities. A dialogue supported by the…

WESTERN EQUATORIA - A newly established Special Protection Unit (SPU) in Maridi a county in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria state, has had a tangible impact on increasing women’s protection. This confidential space for community members to report violence against women has led to a noticeable reduction in incidents over the past year. “After the Special Protection Unit was fully functioning, we have seen a distinct increase in reports related to…

JONGLEI – “I don’t want to return home. It will only remind me of what we have been through.” Nyakim’s * tragedy began with her husband being killed and her home being burnt down when armed actors attacked her village in northern Jonglei last month. But it didn’t stop there: she and her seven children were abducted by the perpetrators, alongside 22 other women and children. What followed can only be described as a seemingly never-ending nightmare…

As part of UNIFIL’s continued efforts to support communities affected by ongoing exchanges of fire in south Lebanon, the mission’s Italian peacekeepers made substantial food donations to internally-displaced persons (IDPs) in Tyre last week. On 13 March, peacekeepers delivered more than 13 tons of packaged food items – in addition to essential medical kits, medicines and hygiene kits – to the Disaster Management Unit (DMU) of the Union of Tyre…

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to have the opportunity to address a few words to you at the opening of this meeting, at such an important moment for the life of the country. The adoption of the National Pact for Stability and the Organization of Elections constitutes an important step in the current phase of the transition. I welcome the presence of representatives of political parties, whether signatories to the National Pact or not, as well…

WESTERN EQUATORIA - In Yambio, a message from a disability rights advocate captured the spirit of a new push to ensure every South Sudanese voice is heard in the country’s first elections, currently scheduled for December 2026. “As persons with disabilities, we must be included in planning for elections. It is our constitutional right,” said Moses Louis, Chairperson of the Association of People Living with Disabilities, Western Equatoria. As…

JONGLEI – As the world marked International Women’s Day, female debaters in Bor stepped onto the stage to discuss some of the most pressing political questions facing South Sudan: Can women lead better than men? Is federalism better than centralism? And is the country ready for elections? The discussion, supported by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) brought together young women from six secondary schools to discuss governance…

WESTERN BAHR EL GHAZAL - At the Women’s Union Centre in Wau, conversations often tell stories of survival. Women come from different organizations, each carrying the burden of daily responsibilities: finding ways to earn income, caring for children, and navigating an economy that has become increasingly harsh. For many, the once-dilapidated building is not where their work begins; it is where their experiences converge. The Women’s Union acts as…

JONGLEI – A five-day veterinary training concluded at Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology in Bor, bringing together students and community animal health workers. Supported by Indian military veterinarians from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) the programme aimed to improve livestock health in a region where cattle farming is an essential part of life. The course focused on hands-on experience in disease…

SOUTH SUDAN – ‘Let children be children.’ This is the one of the messages that resonated most with participants during the many meetings preceding and informing the reform of customary law, also known as Naath law. Today, they are. At least by law. Updating this customary law was not easy. And it hadn’t been done since 1942. Following many failed attempts over past decades, in an inception workshop in Juba last October where paramount chiefs…