Humanitarian Action for Children 2021
conflict-related sexual violence specifically, dipped by only 8 per cent, from 211 in 2020 to 194 to 20219,
remaining unacceptably high and likely under-reported.
Sub-national conflict accounted for most victims and was particularly high in Warrap, Western Equatoria, Jonglei
and Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA). In May 2021, violence surged with at least 230 killed, 120
injured, 178 abducted, and 14 women subject to conflict-related sexual violence 10, and displacing an estimated
20,000 people in GPAA11. Between June and September 2021, at least 440 people were killed, 74 abducted
and 64 subjected to conflict-related sexual violence during clashes between warring groups in Tambura County,
Western Equatoria State. 12
An estimated 835,000 people were affected by severe flooding between May and December 2021, and 80 per
cent of those affected were from Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile states. Many displaced by the 2020 and 2021
floods were unable to return to their homes until early 2022, if at all 13.
In 2021, South Sudan faced its highest levels of food insecurity and malnutrition since attaining independence
10 years ago. Food and nutrition insecurity identified in 10 most at-risk counties exacerbated the situation of
women and children. In the most food insecure states, more than 50 per cent of the population is facing Crisis
Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Phase 3 - or worse acute food insecurity 14. In Pibor
County, Jonglei State, some indicators surpassed the Famine (IPC Phase 5) thresholds, resulting in an IPC
Famine Review 15. Most children treated for SAM came from the Greater Upper Nile Region (46 per cent) and
Greater Bahr El Ghazal Region (36 per cent).
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Needs are closely interrelated across sectors. For example, acute malnutrition is attributed to persistent high
food insecurity, poor quality and diversity of food, low access to water and sanitation, as well as high morbidity
due to a weak health system. At any one time, every other child is sick with fever or malaria, and every fourth
child with diarrhoea. Limited availability and a lack of access to health services have contributed to an increase
in maternal mortality to an estimated 1,150 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, the highest figure in the
world. 16 The under-five mortality rate in South Sudan translates to 1 in 10 children dying before their fifth
birthday, and is among the highest under-five mortality rates globally 17. Preventable diseases such as diarrhoea,
malaria and pneumonia are responsible for 75 per cent of all child deaths in the country 18.
Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the various crises due to factors including ubiquitous GBV
and mobility restrictions. Women and girls experience GBV in their homes and while accessing other life-saving
services such as fetching water and collecting firewood as well as accessing other humanitarian services.
During emergencies including floods and after the closure of schools due to COVID-19, violence against children
and reported cases of teenage pregnancies, child marriages and child sexual abuse all increased in South
Sudan. Natural and manmade disasters like flood and war exacerbate GBV prevalence and increased
vulnerability due to breakdown of traditional protection mechanisms, poverty, and displacement that expose
9 UNMISS, Violence Against Civilians in South Sudan Reduced Significantly in 2021, 17 February 2022
https://unmiss.unmissions.org/violence-against-civilians-south-sudan-reduced-significantly-2021
10 lbid
11 OCHA, South Sudan Humanitarian Snapshot May 2021, 14 Jun 2021
https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/operations/south-sudan/infographic/south-sudan-humanitarian-snapshot-may-
2021
12 UNMISS, South Sudan: Hundreds of Killings Among Grave Violations and Abuses Committed Against Civilians in
Tambura County in 2021, 1 March 2022 https://unmiss.unmissions.org/south-sudan-hundreds-killings-among-grave-
violations-and-abuses-committed-against-civilians-tambura
13 OCHA, South Sudan Humanitarian Needs Overview 2022, February 2022
14 IPC Acute Food Insecurity & Acute Malnutrition Analysis October 2020 - July 2021 Issued: 18 December 2020
https://www.ipcinfo.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ipcinfo/docs/South Sudan_TWG_Key_Messages_Oct_2020-July_2021.pdf
15 2021 Global Report on Food Crises, Regional Focus on The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
Member States https://www.fsinplatform.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/Full%20report.pdf
16 South Sudan (1150; uncertainty interval 789 to 1710). World Health Organization. (2019). Trends in maternal mortality
2000 to 2017: estimates by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank Group and the United Nations Population Division:
executive summary. World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/327596 and UNICEF data
https://data.unicef.org/country/ssd/
17 Under-Five Mortality Rate South Sudan, 97.86 deaths per 1000 live births, UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality
Estimation 2020.5 https://childmortality.org/data/South%20Sudan and UNICEF data https://data.unicef.org/country/ssd/
18 UNICEF, UNICEF Response in South Sudan: Threats to child rights - Overcoming the impact of COVID-19 in a context
of chronic vulnerabilities and dire humanitarian needs, May 2020
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