500+ humanitarian staff hosted in 2 IOM managed logistics and humanitarian hubs.  [  IOM UN MIGRATION  ]


IOM continued COVID 19 screening and provided IPC/ WASH support at three POEs, namely Juba International Airport, Wau Airport, and Nimule Ground Crossing

Capacities & response->International response


IOM continued supporting the production of COVID 19 face masks. 20 women social mobilizers were selected and provided with training of trainers  ( ToT )  on COVID 19 prevention strategies to support in the distribution of the locally tailored reusable cloth face mask and awareness raising. The team distributed 17,220 locally produced face masks to 8,610 vulnerable individuals.


Common Transport Services also supported cargo movements and common use of infrastructure, such as the Bentiu Airstrip, through partnerships with authorities, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan  ( UNMISS ) , and other humanitarian agencies.


Health care providers and/or humanitarian agencies should ensure field based medical teams provide outreach support to older people through door to door visits for the older people. Where appropriate, they should also provide older people with PPE. This is especially important due to challenges in accessing health care facilities and a high prevalence of disabilities and chronic health conditions within the older population which may be exacerbated without treatment.

Priority interventions->Expressed by humanitarian staff


The COVID 19 outbreak and measures to contain the virus have exacerbated the protection risks and the movement restrictions have made it much more difficult for people to access critical child protection services.


No source of clean water was seen around the school.  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ]


Old Fanagak and all the villages; RECOMMENDATIONS ; Provision of water containers, Buckets Jerrycans and WASH items soap and filters clothes to improve clean drinking water


The BHA/USAID supported Internews South Sudan's COVID 19 response project has been producing lifesaving, fact checked content that corresponds to citizens' concerns around the COVID 19 pandemic starting June 2020


Screening at the Gate: Juba IDP Camps  ( 1 & 3 )   Yes Bor IDP Camp  Yes Naivasha IDP Camp  Yes Bentiu PoC  No Malakal PoC  No  [ As of 15 February 2021 ]


A total of 1.43 million people were reached with food assistance since August.


A total of 76,225 people in need of nutrition response


$2.5M required for emergency shelter/NFI flood response to 135,000 flood affected people

Capacities & response->People reached/response gaps


Cereals are purchased by households mostly once a month  ( 46 percent ) , with more frequent purchases done in Northern Bahr el Ghazal partly due to high dependence on markets. For pulses, nearly 50 percent never purchased from markets while 37 percent purchased once a month. Majority  ( 89 percent )  of the households bought food using local currency  ( SSP )  while the rest bought either on credit or through barter trade. Most of the purchases were on cereals  ( 52 percent )  particularly for maize and sorghum. Other food commodities purchased by relatively fewer households included; groundnuts, sugar, vegetable oil, beans and meat


GPAA, while immediately dismissing Governors and County Commissioners across the country. Disagreements between parties to the R ARCSS delayed the appointment of their successors. President Kiir finally appointed the Chief Administrator of GPAA31 on 29 June and the Governor of Jonglei on 15 July. In early March 2021, the Government appointed additional administrators, including county commissioners. While the local administrators might not have prevented this violence, their absence weakened existing mechanisms usually used to mitigate it.


( UNMISS and OHCHR make the following recommendations  )  Encourage humanitarian and development stakeholders to strengthen their protection related activities, particularly by reinforcing the capacity of national and local authorities to prevent armed violence in Jonglei and GPAA.


Government launched offensives in Wau Shilluk following the defection of Johnson Olony to the opposition in 2015. This tension was escalated further by the December 2015 Presidential order leading to the formation of 28 states, and subsequently redrawing the boundaries of Shilluk land.


Mangateen 1 & 2 IDP camps has 1,168 households and an estimated population of 2,851 males and 4,278 females.


In Don Bosco and Mahad, the assessment established that the majority of IDPs live in family individual shelters that are too small to accommodate a household of seven and above. Without any provisions for the increasing population since the sites were established in 2013, the condition remains dire. While some shelters have partitions, others don't. The rooms are not partitioned to separate families and to allow for some level of privacy.

Impact->Impact on systems, services and networks


Some 650 metric tons  ( MT )  of relief cargo have been delivered to Akobo, Ayod, Bor South, Duk and Pibor since September and 68 MT of cargo since the scale up was announced. Thirteen metric tons of relief cargo destined for priority areas are currently pending due to a flooded airstrip and will be dispatched as soon as waters recede.


KEY ACHIEVEMENTS  ( as reported for week 01 June   06 June 2020 )  : 600,000 people reached with critical WASH supplies/hygiene items and services


From 25 to 27 January, the Deputy Special Representative  ( Political )  for South Sudan visited Maban, where he engaged with key stakeholders, including representatives of the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism, communities, humanitarian partners and local authorities, and called upon all parties to immediately deescalate the situation and prevent the further loss of life and displacement of civilians.


Since July 2020, humanitarian passenger movement services were provided to deploy rapid response teams to flood affected locations not part of the regular schedule to Ayod, Duk, Jiech  ( flood relocation ) , Labrab, Pathai and Yuai


The highest proportion of households with acceptable food consumption are in Eastern Equatoria  ( 40 percent ) , Unity  ( 53 percent ) , and Warrap  ( 43 percent )  while the highest proportion of households with inadequate food consumption are in Central Equatoria  ( 84 percent  ) , Jonglei  ( 82 percent  ) , Western Bahr el Ghazal  ( 72 percent  ) , Upper Nile  ( 73 percent )  and Lake States  ( 72 percent ) . Apart from Unity State where 65 percent of households had access to humanitarian assistance. ( December 2019 )


Education : Installation of hand washing facilities  [ IRNA Report:  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ] |


The local markets that are operational in the affected locations have limited commodities and as such the few items which are in the market have their prices doubled which cannot be afforded by the affected population. A cup of sorghum costs around 250 SSP and a piece of biscuit costs 30 SSP, half kilogram of sugar costs 200 SSP, maize flour small packet cost 250 SSP in Wulu whereas, in Cueibet County, a cup of sorghum costs around 250 SSP and a small packet of biscuits costs 30SSP, a half kg sugar costs 200SSP, a small cup of maize flour  ( 125ml )  costs 250SSP..


Similarly, communal pit latrines are not being desludged. As such, most IDPs have opted to open defecation. With the coming of the rainy season, there is worry of a possible Cholera outbreak unless these gaps in WASH services are addressed.


[ South Sudan, 2019 ]  165,743 People in need in Central Equatoria, 288,514 People in need in Eastern Equatoria, 191,692 People in need in Western Equatoria, 442,651 People in need in Jonglei, 372,753 people in need in Unity, 362,386 people in need in Upper Nile, 344,019 people in need in Warrap, 128, 721 people in need in Wbeg, 292,255 people in need in NBeG, 219,565 people in need in Lakes.


However, Internews media partners continue to report that citizens belief that the opening of borders, schools, worship places and relaxation of restrictions must mean “that COVID 19 is over'. Journalists also reported that some of the schools and worship places did not fulfill the government guidelines when opening services again. Misperceptions about masks and negative attitudes towards those wearing masks also continues to be a challenge


South Sudan:  Cumulative cases: 3009 New cases: +177 Deaths: 59 Recovered: 2774  [ Source: Ministry of Health, 17 November 2020 ]

Humanitarian conditions->Physical and mental well being


There is need to provide some health and nutrition intervention.


Of the nine humanitarian workers killed in 2020, eight lost their lives in Jonglei and GPAA  ( Greater Pibor Administrative Area  ) . All were South Sudanese.


Health partner to extend health services to those health facilities not active currently due to lack of support from HPF 3  ( Wudu PHCU )


There are movement of cattle seen as they search for higher ground hence settle near or far from the community leading to unpredictable movement with their livestock that may destroy remaining crops since it is not yet seasonal movement.


WHO South Sudan donated 2 severe acute malnutrition with medical complication kits to Concern Worldwide and CARE International. The kits are enough to treat 100 severely malnourished children with medical complications in Kuach and Mankien PHCC stabilization centers in Unity State.


A total of 2,954 recoveries from covid 19 were recorded and a total of 59,081 diagnostic tests had been performed. ( November 2020 )


This cross border political economy fuels a common feeling of despair and entrapment among people living in the borderlands. Many people feel trapped by the prospect of repeated disasters, such as business collapse, unaffordable illnesses, climactic pressures on farming and risky migrations across borders to unstable neighbours


Up to week 37, 2020; there were 409 cases of HEV in Bentiu PoC including 4 deaths  ( CFR 0.01% ) .  ( HEPATITIS E IN BENTIU POC  )


The IOM managed Common Transport Services  ( CTS )  is a free for user service that transports critical humanitarian supplies for humanitarian actors in close coordination with the Logistics Cluster in South Sudan. CTS serves as a critical link in the supply chain, enabling humanitarian assistance materials that arrive from regional and international suppliers to rapidly move onwards to partners located deep in the field to reach beneficiaries in remote and hard to reach locations.


South Sudan Situation update  ( as of 1st November, 2020 )  : 2,905 confirmed COVID 19 cases in South Sudan; 85% in Juba with 58 deaths and a case fatality rate  ( CFR )  of 2.0%. Total 9,498 conxtacts identified, quarantined, & undergoing follow up.


39,985 individuals are vaccinated including around 7,7000 high risk contacts by Health Cluster;  [  EBOLA UPDATE IN DRC  ( as of 30th October 2020 )  ]


During this period, Abiemnhom and Pariang in Ruweng Administrative Area, Mayendit, Panyijiar and Rubkona counties will be classified in Emergency  ( IPC Phase 4 ) , whereas the rest of the counties will be classified in Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  acute food insecurity.


Restricted trade movements both:  ( a )  Internal: from Kapoeta to Juba through Torit, Pibor, Awerial & Terekeka corridors, Ameit market  ( serves Abyei, Unity, Warrap and parts of Northern Bahr El Ghazal ) , Wau  ( serves Gogrial, Tonj, Warawar in NBeG )  and  ( b )  External: cross border trade with Uganda/Sudan affects livestock keepers' ability to meet their essential needs. Therefore, interventions must help ensure adaptation of appropriate measures and practices, so that the key players  ( traders and pastoralist/agro pastoralist etc. ) , along the livestock supply chain, are not further at risk of COVID 19 transmission and their means to exchange livestock and earn income/ barter is not compromised.


The displaced population, as observed, lacked the required materials and financial capacity required to meet their urgent shelter and S/NFIs needs.  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ]


Ultimately, in a consultation involving the MoGEI, the Education Cluster, the donor and Organization 2, Organization 2 was selected to take over and harmonize all incentives in Akobo, based on a decision taken in 2018 that Education Cluster partners' incentive coverage will be limited to PoCs and areas where IMPACT is absent. The decision regarding the change in the payment of incentives was communicated via email to staff in Organization 1 in Akobo, who in turn had to notify the teachers and administrators about the changes. Organization 2 was selected because it was implementing the project elsewhere in South Sudan with the MoGEI, however its incentive payment system would not accommodate monthly payments. A key consideration for all actors in the education sector was to ensure equality of incentive payments for teachers across the country, as well as the recognition that reducing the double payments of incentives freed up resources for other education program activities.


Particularly in Unity State, Common Transport Services  ( CTS )  represents a valuable asset for the Beyond Bentiu Response  ( BBR ) , enabling partners to transport humanitarian supplies in the most efficient, secure, and reliable manner, through a well coordinated process to deep field locations  ( mainly in Koch, Leer, and Mayendit ) . During the COVID 19 movement restrictions, CTS trucks continue to support timely distributions of food and non food items to deep locations within Unity State such as Ding Ding, Koch, Leer, Mayendit and Mayom. In addition, CTS trucks were also used to deliver cargo to Tonj and Raja in Western Bahr el Ghazal during quarter 2.


Demand from the international community and government did not counterbalance the loss of business from consumers. With a large presence of humanitarian actors in South Sudan, the UN and NGOs are important customers for businesses and traders – both through their procurement and through demand from their employees.29 While in the longer term, demand must eventually emerge from private business activity, humanitarian actors are important in the short run, and steady demand form them could have cushioned some of the loss of business from households. Regrettably, this has not been the case. Of the businesses interviewed, nearly two thirds  ( 64% )  said that public and non profit entities were usually important customers. Of these businesses, seven in ten  ( 69% )  said they had seen demand from these customers decrease since the onset of the pandemic – including nearly half of respondents  ( 49% )  who had experienced a decline by at least half.


The COVID 19 pandemic, falling oil prices, and locust infestation have dramatically changed the macroeconomic outlook over a relatively short period of time. Economic growth prospects had improved prior to the COVID 19 pandemic, with South Sudan benefitting from increased production and a higher oil price, helping the economy to recover some growth during FY2019.


While both older people in the POCs  ( Protection of Civilians )  and in urban Juba are experiencing many challenges the lack of humanitarian support in urban Juba is particularly concerning. Therefore, we recommend greater prioritization of older people by humanitarian agencies in these areas.


After every serious fire, a roundtable meeting is held as per standard practice and minutes shared with interested parties to agree upon immediate actions to be undertaken


Further violence in 2015 and 2016 resulted in an increase in the number of civilians seeking protection in the PoC, ultimately peaking at 165,000.


The Presidency announces a relaxation of COVID 19 measures as of 8 May 2020 including a curfew from 10pm 6am and the loosening of other congregation restrictions without their complete repeal.  7May,2020

Capacities & response->National response


The South Sudan G o v e r n m e n t confirmed its first case of COVID 19 5 april 2020


Armed clashes between Sudan People's Liberation Army In Opposition  ( SPLA IO )  loyalists and a SPLAIO breakaway faction in Central Equatoria State's Kajo Keji County prompted civilian displacement on September 28, the UN reports. Following the fighting, an unknown number of civilians crossed the South Sudan border to seek shelter in Uganda, while others fled from the nearby Korijo IDP settlement due to rising tensions within the camp and fear of additional clashes, USG partners report.


Disagreements on the allocation of states to parties had delayed the appointment of governors and the ensuing leadership vacuum contributed to the instability and increasing levels of violence and communal conflicts in the first half of the year.


26.2 per cent of IDPs, or 369,644 individuals, and 26.8 per cent of returnees, or 369,235 individuals, live in settlements that do not have on site health facilities/services and are further than three kilometres away from the closest off site health service provider.


The long term economic crisis in South Sudan has put increasing strain and limits on the generosity and capacity of people to invest in one another. Guilt and frustration over unfulfilled promises from friends and relatives in the diaspora circulate. Under significant pressure from their families and their own sense of masculinity, many young men go missing, either heading north to Sudan alone or becoming uncontactable  ( or change their phone numbers )  during military service elsewhere in South Sudan.There is a general feeling that: ‘Lives have changed".


The proportion of IDPs and returnees living in settlements with areas avoided by women and girls decreased slightly by 3 percentage points, or 38,251 individuals, for IDPs. For returnees, a slight decrease in relative terms was offset by an increase in numbers driven by the overall influx of returnees during the period.


Overall, 38.9 per cent of IDPs, or 549,701 individuals, and 41.6 per cent of returnees, or 573,409 individuals, live in settlements with reports of conflict related incidents occurring during the six months prior to the assessment, including both armed conflict and conflict over land and resources. This indicator differs from the ACLED conflict events indicator in that it refers specifically to the IDP/returnee settlements, has a longer timeframe, and is collected through local DTM key informants rather than compiled from media sources.


In sixteen counties, at least 5,000 IDPs or returnees and 90 per cent of one or both population groups lived in settlements that rely on cash assistance, food assistance or host community donations as the main source of food. Seven of these counties are in Unity  ( Guit, Leer, Mayom, Koch, Rubkona, Mayendit and Panyijiar ) , four in Jonglei  ( Ayod, Canal/Pigi, Nyirol and Duk ) , two in Northern Bahr El Ghazal  ( Aweil West and Aweil East )  and Lakes  ( Awerial and Yirol East ) , and one in Warrap  ( Tonj South ) . In addition to the above, Wau, Juba, Bor South and Awerial Counties are notable with a total number of IDPs and returnees living in settlements reliant on aid or donations exceeding 40,000.


Overall, 44.3 per cent of IDPs  ( 626,236 individuals )  and 45.7 per cent of returnees  ( 629,383 individuals )  live in settlements without access to a local market selling NFIs. In Lakes  ( 63%, or 115,456 individuals ) , Jonglei  ( 62.3%, or 121,649 individuals )  and Central Equatoria  ( 52.4%, or 106,007 individuals )  the majority of IDPs lives in settlements without access to a local market selling NFIs. The same applies to returnees in Central Equatoria  ( 62.5%, or 90,239 individuals ) , Jonglei  ( 55.6%, or 98,577 individuals ) , Upper Nile  ( 55.5%, or 127,688 individuals )  and Lakes  ( 52.6%, or 35,063 individuals ) .


Nutrition: Even though MUAC screening results mentioned above does not seems alarming, it may change with current situation. Partners also fear that the current open defecation, congestion and water contamination, is highly likely to cause waterborne diseases outbreak coupled with high prevalence of malaria and respiratory chest infection among children, pregnant and lactating women sleeping in open places if current situation remains unattended. ( Aug 2020 )


1,234 IDPs arrived from Aker, Dhoong, Chuol, Manyiel & Wunthilik,  ( Tonj North County )  to Rual Bet, Tonj North County due to the flooding.


Persons with disabilities face multiple physical barriers in accessing services, causing difficulties to persons with reduced mobility in particular.


Furthermore, following an attack on a Norwegian Refugee Council  ( NRC )  contracted convoy in Lainya County on August 29, NRC suspended the distribution of relief items to 4,000 IDPs in Kupera town on September 2 and has withdrawn its staff from the area until further notice. Continued armed clashes between NAS elements and the SSPDF will likely result in additional access restrictions and obstructions to humanitarian assistance in Kajo Keji, Liria, Lobonok, Morobo, Panyume, and Yei areas, WFP reports.


Reports of submerged and likely damaged crops prior to harvesting, increase food shortages in the short and long  term into the lean season.


During the month, the Logistics Cluster coordinated one inter agency convoy on behalf of three organisations, transporting humanitarian supplies from Juba along the Western Corridor.


IOM Core Pipeline processed 15 approved requests from nine WASH partners for the benefit of approximately 24,465 households. In addition, 18 requests were processed for 10 S NFI partners for the benefit of 30,369 households. The emergency supplies reached 15 counties, namely, Juba, Lainya, Yei, Bor South, Pibor, Yirol East, Panyijar, Pariang, Rubkona, Malakal, Fashoda, Tonj South, Wau, Ibba, and Mvolo


The marginal decrease in the prevalence of food insecurity by nearly 6 percent from 75 percent in August 2019 is the result of slight improvement in access to food from the main harvest in October and November while modest improvements in access to markets and livelihoods have also helped to sustain the current level of food security. Compared to December 2018 when 74.0 percent of households were affected, food insecurity in the country has decreased by 4.8 percent, with the situation assessed to have improved in 7 out of the 10 states.


Although the overarching concerns emerging from the rumor tracking data collected thus far is that communities across South Sudan may be underestimating the likelihood or impact of an outbreak of COVID 19, some rumors indicate a perception that COVID 19 will bring devastation. Actors engaged in risk communications should consider how to communicate accurate information about the risks while avoiding expressing despair, which may have mental health and psychosocial implications for the population. • For instance, humanitarians should continue messaging that highlights that the majority  ( roughly 80% )  of people globally who do contract the virus end up recovering, but should still stress that it is still a serious threat for vulnerable groups.1


In Aweil North county, a concerning rumor that potential COVID 19 vaccines could result in infertility and will thus prompt an increase in sexual activity was recorded. Not only could an uptick in sexual activity lead to an increase in SGBV cases, especially with socialdistancing measures confining families to their homes, but also signals that in some areas, community trust in potential vaccines and/ or treatments may be quite low. Potential skepticism in vaccines may have serious implications for humanitarians, particularly public health actors, in the future responses to the COVID 19 pandemic.


COVID 19 facilities have trained health care workers who provide medical, psychosocial, and nutritional support to a patient. These facilities are also equipped with minimum protective clothing and medicine that can be given to a patient to support his body to fight the virus. In some case, visitors and non trained care takers are not allowed in the COVID 19 facilities to prevent them from being infected or infect the health care workers.


As of October 2017, Nile Petroleum Corporation, which was the sole fuel importer in South Sudan, stopped importing fuel for subsidized sale, and allowed private firms to import and sell fuel at market prices. This led many consumers turn to the thriving parallel market where petrol and diesel premium prices were charged up to 278 300 SSP/ litre  ( Figure 11.8 ) . Fuel was rarely available in the pumps but was mostly sold in the parallel market with a high risk of adulteration. The increase in the cost of fuel and transport is passed directly to consumers in form of high food prices.


The ongoing economic crisis in South Sudan escalated progressively from the country's disagreement with the Republic of Sudan over sharing of oil revenues and oil pipeline fees, leading to the 2012 oil production/export shutdown. This was worsened off by the two periods of war from December 2013 and from June 2016, which led to higher defense spending and disruptions of oil production. Consequently, the country faced severe and devastating macro economic and fiscal crisis including insufficient foreign inflows, reduced government revenues, wider budget deficit, increased public debt, a higher and increasing parallel forex market rate, higher inflation, widening balance of payment deficits and successive years of negative economic growth  ( recession ) .


The restrictions on movement related to COVID 19 have limited the transportation of personnel and essential drugs and medical supplies. This directly affects the ability of the health system to respond to an outbreak and other health needs while indirectly affecting people's health. People's vulnerability to epidemic diseases, an already weak health system and the poor hygiene and sanitation practices among communities exacerbate the needs, and increase the risk of an outbreak.


The provision of psychosocial support is an essential component for children, teachers and school community during the time of crisis. The school closures disrupt children's routine and social support and may also not allow children to learn and take part in recreational sports and game activities and further limit the chance of social interaction.


In continuation of a series of pilot projects and initiatives to promote women's participation in community governance structures and to enhance their livelihood opportunities in the PoC sites, including their participation in COVID 19 prevention and response in Wau PoCAA, CCCM rolled out a cloth face mask production pilot project to enhance women's resilience and self reliance. Through consultations with women's groups, 29 women, including 11 women with disabilities, were mobilized for hand and machine sewing skills training facilitated by the IOM Camp Management team.


In Juba, IOM constructed one new handwashing facility at Juba Teaching Hospital, bringing the total number of HWFs built by IOM in Juba to 13. The handwashing facilities benefited 63,560 individuals  ( 17,161 girls, 16,562 boys, 15,254 women, 14,619 men )  during the reporting period. IOM also completed the construction of three additional handwashing stations  ( 500L each )  in Gudele 1, and two in Gedele 2, bringing the total number of HWS built to 73. The handwashing stations benefited 95,811 individuals  ( 25,896 girls, 24,911 boys, 22,994 women, 22,037 men )  during the reporting period.


Hence, 23 percent of the households reported migration of members to other parts of the country in the past 12 months because of reasons not related to insecurity. Of the households which migrated, 42.8 percent moved to a town or city within South Sudan, while 36.8 percent relocated to a neighboring country, mainly Uganda, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Sudan or Central African Republic. ( December 2019 )


A total of 421 formerly released children  ( 265 boys and 156 girls )  from the existing caseload received specialized or individualized services in Western Equatoria by UNICEF.


In June, in close cooperation with Democratic Republic of the Congo  ( DRC )  and UNHCR, the MHPSS team supported an assessment on the inclusion of people with disabilities in Malakal and conducted Focus Group Discussions  ( FGDs )  to inform future programming. In addition, the MHPSS teams conducted workshops at each field location in Malakal, Wau and Bentiu to ascertain the views of community members on COVID 19 related awareness raising needs, specifically emphasizing MHPSS considerations. These workshops informed the development of culturally sensitive Information, Education and Communication  ( IEC )  materials, which include key messages and corresponding illustrations.


House to house inter personal communication, community engagement meetings, church and mosque meetings, radio talk shows, public rallies and megaphone announcements were the major activities undertaken by these community mobilizers. Also supported was the second phase of the measles vaccination campaign initiated in 26 counties by UNICEF.


6.01 million people  ( 51% of the population )  facing Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  or worse acute food insecurity  ( Feb Apr 2020  )  1.475 million in Emergency 4.515 million in Crisis


Round 25 reported that 34 percent of households reported access to an improved water source in under 30 minutes without facing protection concerns. Thus, the remaining 66 per cent of the households from across the country either rely on unimproved or surface water sources. The highest proportion of households relying on surface water or unimproved water sources were found in Greater Equatoria  ( 71 percent ) . ( December 2019 )


Overall, 86.5 percent of households reported having access to land and 91.9 percent of those households actually planted crops during the past growing season. At the national level, the proportion of households who planted crops increased by 14.2 percent from 77.7 percent in December 2017 to 91.9 percent in December 2019.


Generally, 56.2 percent of households across the country reported using emergency  ( 43.3 percent )  or crisis coping strategies  ( 12.9 percent )  while 10.5 percent used stress coping strategies because of lack of food or money to buy food during the 30 days preceding the assessment. At the national level, the use of crisis and emergency coping strategies reduced by 8.3 percent from 64.5 percent in December 2018 to 56.2 percent in December 2019.


In Round 25, 72 percent of households reported a self diagnosed vector or waterborne disease in the two weeks prior to data collection. ( December 2019 )


Across the country, 58 percent of households had very high  ( 48 percent )  to high  ( 10 percent )  expenditure on food alone. As a result, additional shocks tend to constrain their ability to sustain their food consumption through market purchases On average, 73.9 percent of household expenditure was on food, with expenditure on cereals accounting for 48.3 percent of the total food expenditure in December 2019. This represents a slight decrease in both expenditure on food and cereals when compared to August 2019, when it stood at 80 percent and 47 percent respectively ( December 2019 )


Catastrophe  ( IPC Phase 5 )  acute food insecurity in Pibor County is due to the combination of the seasonal deterioration moving into the depth of the lean season in the semi arid plains without food stocks from their harvest; any remaining livestock are moved to the distant dry season grazing grounds; some fish is likely to remain available but key will be the efficiency in scaling up the already disrupted delivery of Humanitarian Food Assistance  ( HFA )  and the risk of continued conflict which will maintain a significant proportion of the population in Catastrophe  ( IPC phase 5 ) .


Between December 2020 and March 2021, the situation is expected to seasonally improve with an estimated 606,000 people  ( 55.3% of the population )  likely to be in Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  or worse acute food insecurity, of which 466,000 people are likely to be in Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  acute food insecurity, and 140,000 people are likely to be in Emergency  ( IPC Phase 4 )  acute food insecurity.


Existing services and facilities including health, nutrition and water are stretched.  ( Situation Report No. 3, as of 26 February 2021 )


Data for Amiet Panel of Experts  ( POE )  in Abyei was not received due to internet connectivity challenges.

Information and communication->Knowledge and info gaps (hum)


One health partner is in process of scaling up health services in collaboration of partners who are providing health services through static health facilities. Another is rehabilitating six facilities that were affected by flooding in 2020 to re establish service delivery to support response scale up.  ( Situation Report No. 3, as of 26 February 2021 )

Priority interventions
Capacities & response


Most commonly reported type of primary healthcare facility accessible by foot: Hospital  ( 92% )


Pibor, Lakes, Tonj, Jonglei and Warrap states have experienced upsurges in local communal violence due to resource conflicts, disrupting the country's fragile social fabric.These instances show how changing seasonal patterns can affect pastoralists' mobility options, and how climate related stress can increase the risk of tensions and impact existing conflicts.


In support to IDPs' leadership and governance structures in managing their site affairs, CCCM teams completed the construction of a community center which will provide a venue to convene Governance Coordination meetings, town hall meetings and facilitate other site level fora while respecting Covid 19 precautionary measures.


From December 2020 to March 2021, the food security situation is expected to slightly improve, with an estimated 417,000 people  ( 37.9% of the population )  likely to be in Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  or worse acute food insecurity, of which 341,000 people are likely to be in Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  acute food insecurity, and 76,000 people are likely to be in Emergency  ( IPC Phase 4 )  acute food insecurity.


The Logistics Cluster and WHO, as co leads of the Operational Support and Logistics Pillar of the National Response Plan, re launched the Personal Protective Equipment  ( PPE )  Common Request System following the arrival of a PPE order worth USD $5.2 million, funded by the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund and African Development Bank and procured by WHO.


In Rumbek North, Lakes, inter communal clashes forced some 2,700 people to flee to Dheng Nhial site. In March, several inter communal clashes displaced about 5,100 people from Jur River County into Wau County


In particular, USAID/BHA partner WFP reached more than 550,000 flood affected people with emergency food assistance countrywide during the month, including approximately 23,000 individuals in Jonglei.


COVID 19 Addendum to the HRP The COVID 19 Addendum to the HRP, including the National COVID 19 Response Plan, brought the overall humanitarian appeal for 2020 to $1.9 billion.  [ JUNE 2020 ]


In bimodal areas, reduced access to inputs, localized floods and desert locust damage, and localized conflict remain the primary threats to crop production in 2020.


SSHF  ( South Sudan Humanitarian Fund )  launched a reserve allocation of $5 million to procure 70 tons of personal protective equipment to protect frontline health workers responding to COVID 19.  [ MAY 2020 ]


WFP and partners are working with communities to identify bomas and households previously supported through general food distribution  ( GFD )  who are willing and interested to participate in Food Assistance for Assets  ( FFA ) .


Strengthen support to Child Friendly Spaces  ( runed by WVI )  and promote the well being of children employed.  [ IRNA Report:  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ] |


Security and safety is provided by the local police with an office stationed within the camps. Patrols are conducted by the police but number of staff is very limited, 2 police officers in total. No reports on harassment have been reported from the side of police, however local community leaders and women cited that most of the cases remain unresolved and no arrests have been made.  [ IRNA Report:  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ] |


WVI to liaise with WFP as soon as possible to ensure supplies for the TSFP  (  ( Targeted Supplementary Feeding Program )  are delivered to these locations as soon as possible  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ]


On 16 November the Juba Protection of Civilians  ( PoC )  Site was redesignated as an Internally Displaced Persons  ( IDP )  camp. It has followed a long and careful process, planning alongside humanitarians, and in consultation with national and local government, the security services, and the displaced community. WFP will continue to provide food assistance to people in the IDP camp.


Planning distribution of food at school to avoid having kids dropping school out of hunger.


Advocate for increase of incentives to teachers  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ]


Low incentives for teachers of about 6500 SSP per month was reported which does not match with the economic situation of the country.  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ]


According to local authorities and community leaders, over 500 cattle,3000 goats and 2500 sheep deaths reported by the local authorities and the cause if floods that always come with its associated disease outbreak like Trypanosomiases/nagana, foot, and mouth disease and then the high blood pressure.  [ IRNA Report:  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ] |


Increased bureaucratic impediments challenged humanitarian operations and the effective delivery of life saving assistance to people in need. Extortion, duplicate registration at state and local levels, imposition of taxes Humanitarian organizations continued to face pressure from authorities, particularly in several locations in Jonglei, for remittance of tax to the former 32 states.and fees, interference in recruitment processes and the inconsistent application of policies delayed or disrupted humanitarian operations.


The overall proportion of IDPs and returnees living in settlements where the majority of children is not attending primary education decreased respectively by 5.3 percentage points, or 79,479 individuals, and by 1.8 percentage points, or 30,202 individuals, marking a slight improvement since round 6. At the state level, the reduction in the number of IDPs living in such settlements was greatest in Central Equatoria  (  22.1 p.p., or  34,170 individuals ) , Warrap  (  16.2 p.p., or  20,363 individuals )  and Unity  (  9.8 p.p., or  24,167 individuals ) . Western Equatoria represented a key exception to the overall trend, with a marked increase in the number of returnees living in such settlements  ( +15 p.p., or +23,113 individuals )


Based on a nearly 150 percent increase in spontaneous refugee returns in June 2020 compared to May, the monthly flow of returnees is anticipated to be higher than previously projected despite closed land borders.


Community leaders and stakeholders are identified with low capacity to response to CP  ( Child Protection )  issues as a result of not being trained and have knowledge on how to use their local capacities to restore and protect children. Therefore they are need to be trained and given opportunity to lead in CP/PSS activities programme.  [ IRNA Report:  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ] |


Girls have been particularly affected by the pandemic, as the closure of schools and restrictions put in place have increased exposure of girls and women to gender based violence, including child marriage and rape.


Limited access to hygiene NFIs and poor hand washing practices appear to have contributed negatively to the overall hygiene situation in the state. Across the state, less than half of the assessed settlements reported that people washed their hands with soap  ( 38% )  and ash  ( 33 )  in September.


The key drivers of food insecurity include the seasonal depletion of own stocks, particularly for households whose crop production was negatively affected by climatic shocks; increased market dependence at a time when food prices are expected to rise further; the unpredictable security situation along the border with Sudan that is likely to impact on trade; the ongoing economic crisis that is likely to continue eroding household purchasing power in a highly market dependent State; migration of livestock away from homesteads that will lead to decreased access to livestock products; and COVID 19 measures that are likely to have an impact on the supply chain systems and affect market functionality. Households will increasingly rely on petty trade and selling of natural resources for income, as well as consuming of wild foods.


The rise in insecurity led to the relocation of nearly 150 aid workers from Jonglei, impacting the ability of humanitarian organizations to respond. In February, in and around Pibor, about 80 aid workers were relocated.  (  February 2020 )


Levels of inter communal violence have reached unprecedented levels in 2020. FEWS NET's analysis of ACLED's data on inter communal conflict events shows the number of events through July 31, 2020, already exceeds annual totals in 2013 2016 and 2018 2019 and is on track to meet or exceed the annual total recorded in 2017.


FAO and WFP warn that further intensification of violence and the consequent displacement of civilians and disruption to agriculture and markets could result in additional people experiencing severe acute food insecurity in the coming months.


World Vision constructed 80 HHs latrines in 2020, targeting only the PSN  ( Persons with Specific Needs ) . This means an average of minimum 400 people per latrines, where the SPHERE standard is 50 in case of emergency.  [ IRNA Report:  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ] |


Education cluster did not receive funding to support the rehabilitation of learning facilities and provision of essential education supplies.


The CERF  ( UN's Central Emergency Response Fund )  Rapid Response allocation of $9.7 million filled gaps in core humanitarian pipelines and enabled frontline responders to scale up assistance to people in need. The CERF also financed community labor intensive and cash based initiatives aimed at reducing the impact of floods on communities, such as repairing broken dikes. In addition, more than $16 million was mobilized from ECHO, DFID and USAID in response to the floods and displacements.


Consistently, nearly half of reported access incidents are violent in nature and South Sudan continues to report the highest number of violent incidents against humanitarians globally, including casualties. The vast majority of these are against South Sudanese staff. Operational interference, restrictions of movement and bureaucratic impediments also persistently challenge and delay access to reach people in need.


Displacement patterns have been driven largely by conflict dynamics. Internally, the numbers displaced have continued to rise, with conflict driving many of the same families having to flee on multiple occasions. Greater Upper Nile maintains the largest numbers of displaced, accounting for 60 per cent of all internally displaced in the country.


Direct food distribution is needed to address the urgent food shortage as well as monthly distributions as community does not have any coping mechanism in place  ( no access to land, no access to fishing, no cattle )   [ IRNA Report:  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ] |


Facilitate in depth collection of sex  and age disaggregated data about the population to ensure appropriate planning and provision of services within the community.  [ IRNA Report:  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ] |


Physical access was compromised with logistical challenges and infrastructure damage. Some remote locations, particularly in Jonglei, were accessible only by air or riverine transport.


There was an increase in reported injuries, from 17 people injured in 2019 to 32 in 2020. Most injuries happened during ambushes and some during attacks on humanitarian facilities


The latest food security analysis projected that 9,000 people  ( per cent of the county population analysed )  will likely face catastrophe levels of acute food insecurity in Tonj East between December 2020 to March 2021.


So far triage and screening areas have been set up in 34 health facilities. A total of 75 health facilities have been provided with PPE and 527 health workers have been trained on infection prevention and control measures. A total of 2,523,214 people have been reached with hygiene promotion and COVID 19 prevention and control messages on a weekly basis in IDP camps/ PoCs/refugee settlements, communities and other public places. A total of 363 hand washing facilities were established in communities and health facilities and 90,105 were people provided with locally fabricated cloth masks.


Likewise, a total of 94,336 vulnerable people have so far been supported with access to basic sanitation facilities through the construction and rehabilitation of emergency communal latrines and household latrines. In relatively stable communities in Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Eastern Equatoria, community led total sanitation  ( CLTS )  is being implemented as the approach to improve the sanitation coverage. Follow up is being conducted for the previously triggered village in Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Eastern Equatoria to establish communities that have attained open defecation free  ( ODF )  status.


In October 2020, UNICEF and Partners provided curative consultations to a total of 146,316 individuals  ( 69,034 males and 77,282 females, the number includes 64,829 children under the age of 5 and 81,487 adults. This brings the cumulative total consultations for the period January   October 2020 to 1,474,311 out of which 646,335 were children under 5  ( 311,418 males and 334,917 females ) . Most children and women seen during the consultations were for the treatment of malaria  ( 33 per cent ) , followed by acute respiratory infections  ( 16 per cent )  and diarrhea  ( 11 per cent ) .

males females women children individuals


2 out of 5 children under the age of five are malnourished.


Access constraints often further drive and magnify humanitarian needs by cutting people off much needed assistance and protection. Tenuous access and a lack of safety assurances regularly prevent emergency assessment and response, as was the case in mid 2018 to an estimated 100,000 people in central Unity and 28,000 people in the greater Baggari area in Western Bahr el Ghazal. Insecurity and violent acts against humanitarian staff and assets regularly obstruct access or force the relocation of staff and suspension of operations, as was the case in Maban in July 2018.


As of January 2021, United Nations Humanitarian Air Service  ( UNHAS ) supported 16 flights dedicated to the flood response which enabled the facilitation of 10 missions for the ICCG and 6 flood relocations and evacuations in Ayod, Duk, Jiech, Labrab, Pathai and Yuai.


Immediate needs included health awareness to prevent water borne diseases, prepositioning of medical supplies in readiness to increased needs of flood affected population and strengthening of health outreach services.


As roads and ports significantly deteriorate during the rainy season, humanitarian organizations become reliant on costly air transport to reach people in need. However, the quality of airstrips also remains low, and only four airstrips are equipped with tarmac  ( Juba, Malakal, Paloich and Wau ) . Another 234 landing sites or murram airstrips  ( including 123 suitable for Fixed Wing aircrafts and 115 helipads )  are functioning in South Sudan, enabling humanitarian organizations to access people in hard to reach locations. Nevertheless, due to low maintenance and very limited infrastructure, a large majority of these airstrips becomes accessible to helicopters only during the rainy season.


The first round of the OCV  ( Oral Cholera Vaccines )  campaign in Bor was completed with a coverage of 80% and preparation is ongoing for the 2nd round.


A recent Food Security and Nutrition Monitoring System  ( FSNMS )  conducted in 2019 assessment found that 30 per cent of children had behavioral change, showing signs of distress due to repeated exposure to conflict and shocks.


The Protection cluster will continue to provide technical support on protection to the Cash Working Group, the Inter Cluster Coordination Group, and peacekeeping and development organizations.


Malnutrition needs are greatest in Jonglei, Upper Nile, Lakes, Warrap and Northern Bahr el Ghazel states where number of acutely malnourished children under five and Pregnant and Lactating Women caseloads are highest, also with more than 50 per cent of their respective population facing Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  or worse acute food insecurity


Up to 95% of the population depend on natural recourses to meet their food and income needs.


As of 29 September, a cumulative total of 2,700 confirmed COVID 19 cases and 49 deaths had been recorded with a case fatality rate  ( CFR )  of 1.8 per cent.


An escalation of sub national violence and internal displacement appears to have created food access gaps in Tonj South County. Despite the seasonal harvest, the proportion of assessed settlements reporting adequate access to food remained comparable in Tonj South during this period  ( 57% in July versus 53% in September ) . This minimal improvement in access to food may be explained by conflict and displacement, which according to an inter agency assessment, prevented 36% of the population in Manyang Ngok, Wanalel and Tonj payams of Tonj South County from engaging in cultivation in the last planting season. With such a high proportion of population that did not cultivate, access to food will likely remain a concern in the county in the next lean season.


Flooding reportedly displaced populations in Tonj East, Gogrial East and Gogrial West counties in the third quarter. The proportion of assessed settlements reporting flooding as the main cause of displacement increased minimally from 1% in July to 12% across Warrap State. Tonj East appears to be the most affected in September, with 29% of assessed settlements reporting flooding as the main reason why people left their settlements. Indicative of this internal displacement, Tonj East had the highest proportion  ( 79% )  of assessed settlements reporting the presence of IDPs in September.


Nearly 11,405 children were screened for malnutrition, out of which 377 children were suffering from severe acute malnutrition  ( SAM ) . The children were treated at in patient and out patient therapeutic centers

Humanitarian conditions
Capacities & response


WASH: Major response gaps remain in Nyirol, Ayod, Bor South and Gumuruk  ( Priority 1 locations )  and Fashoda and Koch  ( Priority 2 locations ) .


The COVID 19 outbreak and related restrictions are likely to further delay the recovery of South Sudan's agricultural production system. Annually required inputs like seeds may remain available through the informal sector in many areas, though returnees will likely also need less frequently acquired items, like tools for reconstruction and heavy land clearance.


Fighting in Lainya, Kajo keji and Morobo in Central Equatoria led to suspension of activities, ambushes of humanitarian convoys, looting of critical supplies and violence against humanitarians. The prolonged closure of the main road in Central Equatoria for humanitarian movement prevented approximately 144,000 people in need from accessing humanitarian assistance.


In Malakal County  ( Malakal PoC ) , the size of the population was 27,930 and there was Movement restrictions within and in/ out of the site. The average daily flow in/out was 4,395/4,375. Approximately 36% travel overnight. Approximately 96% travel out of county for overnight travel. There was Congregation restrictions. There were no Temperature screening. There was Hand washing stations. There was risk communication. Widespread COVID 19 information campaign through radio, posters, and community meetings. There are movement restrictions between the POC, Humanitarian Hub, and UNMISS Compound now. Handwashing at all entrances. No temperature screening  [ Mobility Update Week 11  ( 1 14 June 2020 )  ]


Health Cluster partners conducted 1,213 consultations in Akobo County between 16 and 31 March. To date, cluster partners received and distributed five emergency health kits  ( EHK ) , a kit to treat children with severe acute malnutrition who have medical complications and nine pneumonia treatment kits to health facilities. A partner has been identified to support the health response in static facilities and services across Akobo County and funding has been secured.


While there have been signs of improvement of the security situation, it remains unpredictable with reports of continued community violence and insecurity including criminality and targeting of humanitarian workers, which continues to hamper the ability to scale up the response across the county.


The main complaints are lack of respect, reported by 11.9  ( ± 3.0 )  per cent of respondents, and lack of confidentiality, reported by 7.9  ( ± 2.6 )  per cent of respondents  ( Figure 11 ) .


According to the IPC analysis released in December 2020, about 5.8 million people  ( 48.3% of the population )  were projected to face Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  or worse acute food insecurity, of which 1.8 million people were projected to face Emergency  ( IPC Phase 4 )  acute food insecurity during the period December 2020 to March 2021, while 11,000 people were likely to face Catastrophe  ( IPC Phase 5 )  acute food insecurity in Pibor Administration Area during the same period


Bor, Bentiu, and Juba PoC ( Protection of Civilians )  sites have recorded outflows as people concerned with potential insecurity in transitioning or transitioned PoCs return to their areas of habitual residence or move to secondary displacement locations.


However, some 345,000 refugees have returned to South Sudan in a self organized manner since 2017, with 110,000 returning in 2020 alone. Overall, spontaneous refugee returns are driven by both push and pull factors, including family reunification, limited livelihood opportunities, and insufficient access to basic services in the countries of asylum


In addition, an estimated 32 per cent of IDPs and 37 per cent of returnees live in settlements located more than 5 km from a functional health facility. States with the largest absolute gaps are Upper Nile, Jonglei and Unity. A key informant assessment found that two thirds of households could not access healthcare when needed in the six months prior to data collection.


UNMISS delivered child protection capacity building training to 410 members of the security forces  ( 263 male and 147 female ) ; 65 members of SPLM/A IO  ( all male ) , 50 members of the necessary unified forces  ( 45 male and 5 female ) , 20 members of SSOA  ( 18 male and 2 female ) , 320 community members  ( 180 male and 140 female )  and 29 government officials  ( 25 male and 4 female ) .


Additional support is required to improve the provision of water and sanitation services in schools, the installation of hand washing stations, and changing areas/rooms for adolescent girls during menstrual period, teacher training and community support to build trust, and reassure parents that it is safe for children to return to school.


The scale of educational needs in South Sudan remains high due to many challenges with supply and demand


The transition of PoC ( Protection of Civilians )  sites in 2020 and continuing into 2021 may cause the security situation to deteriorate and lead to a possible reduction in humanitarian access.


The oil price crash will likely also translate to heavy losses in export earnings, which will serve to widen the trade deficit of over SSP 2 billion, translating into a sizeable current account deficit. The World Bank projected the current account deficit to be about 1.8 percent of the gross domestic product in FY 2020, from 6.4 percent in FY 2019. The expected decline in oil exports, however, will exacerbate the increasing demand for imports, which will force the country to further deplete the already diminished foreign exchange reserves. Besides the impact of the oil price crash, the greatest economic impact of COVID 19 is likely to come from the disruption to commercial supply chains and the consequent loss of income earning opportunities and staple food price increases.


In Renk  ( Wunthaw ) , the official land border to Sudan, there were no disruption for movement of cargo as of 14 June and no movements of persons as of 14 June. Into/ out of point 2019 daily average was unknown. Into/out of point during reporting period daily average was 0/0 and there was no temperature screening and hand washing stations. There was no risk communication and Isolation/quarantine area. There were increased security forces in place .  [ Mobility Update Week 11  ( 1 14 June 2020 )  ]


Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: 5.5M People in need and 2.1M reached.


There are numerous latrines built from 2014 to 2019 that are full but no decommissioned. Some of them are now taking by water leading to a very hazardous situation in terms of sanitation.  [ IRNA Report:  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ] |


Approximately 60 per cent of the limited road network becomes inaccessible during the long rainy season, affecting especially Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile.


humanitarian organizations revert to the use of air transport as a last resort to reach people in need.


The absence of basic health care including vaccination services has resulted in low immunization coverage throughout the country, increasing the risk of vaccine preventable disease outbreaks.


Over half of respondents report a lack of access to any form of psychosocial support  ( 63.7% ) , while 16.1  ( ± 3.9 )  per cent are able to access counselling.


2.2$ funding received and 80 org people reached by Logistics Cluster.  ( South Sudan Humanitarian Fund 2020 )


188,528 seeking shelter with the UN  ( UNMISS )


In January 2021, the FSL Cluster distributed emergency food assistance  ( double ration covering January and February )  to 24,242 people  ( 28 per cent of people targeted ) .


On 11 February  (  2021  )  , the Government deployed South Sudan People's Defense Forces  ( SSPDF )  and National Security Services  ( NISS )  to Tonj North, but the security situation has remained volatile.


More medical supplies to be source to support what HLSS through HPF is providing for the routine services.


A multi cluster response is complimenting the response in many counties, especially by the ES/NFI, WASH and health clusters.


Health workers are prioritized because they are high at risk of contracting the virus due to their interaction with many patients and because South Sudan has no health worker to lose.


Despite insecurity, arrangements are on going to distribute food assistance to 15,000 people in Tonj East.  (  ( as of 26 February 2021 )


Conflict preparedness  ( dry season )  : Request UNMISS to provide security corridors during humanitarian response


Some 400 schools in nine states were affected and damaged by the floods and violence in 2020 and half of them are now occupied by IDPs. This has delayed the re opening of schools in many areas


Need to support the population with some food through BSFP modality to bridge the nutritional deficit to combat the population sliding into malnutrition.


Another 2.2 million South Sudanese remained displaced as refugees in six neighbouring countries.


Still, at independence, most South Sudanese officials and outsiders seemed oblivious to the danger that the country's elites would hurt its chances with violent power struggles, despite their long history of infighting.


Many areas seeing spontaneous IDP and refugee returns are already areas of high vulnerabilities, as per August 2019 IPC findings. They are also frequently on the close monitoring list for the inter agency Needs Analysis Working Group  ( NAWG )  for having high lifesaving needs, meaning that there may be a risk of further exacerbating high needs.


According to protection profiling exercises conducted in 2018 and 2019, an average of 63 per cent of the IDPs living inside PoC sites did not consider or even discuss leaving the sites and returning home. The vast majority cite security concerns as the main reason for not considering or discussing leaving the displacement sites, followed by scarcity of food  ( Bentiu, Bor and Juba PoC site populations )  and houses having been destroyed  ( particularly IDPs in Wau PoC site ) .


Latest population estimates suggest that more than 53 per cent of the 11.7 million people in South Sudan are under 18 years old.


[ South Sudan, 2019 ]  South Sudan has a dynamic context, the nature of conflict is not only political but has several layers i.e. ethnic, inter communal, natural disasters etc. All these combined cause displacements, violence, and significant impact on the fragile education system.


During the month, the Logistics Cluster coordinated four humanitarian road convoys, transporting life saving supplies from Juba to Kajo Keji, Yambio and along the Western Corridor. As the Western Corridor became fully accessible all the way to Bentiu, the Logistics Cluster continued to advocate for partners to pre position cargo in strategic locations along the corridor prior to the rainy season.  [ Specified location: Bentiu, a city in Rubkona County ]


8 community based child protection networks committees established and functioning.


Key achievements: 8,641 pregnant and lactating women provided with specialized nutritious foods


The POE TWG  ( Technical Working Group )  continued a series of joint supportive supervision visits to POEs. The purpose of the visits is to ensure that the POEs comply with the recommendations presented and guidelines stipulated in the COVID 19 Standard Operating Procedures, provide on site support to implementing teams, and better understand the challenges. During the POE TWG meeting, the key findings were presented from the visit to Renk.


In September, the CCCM Cluster engaged state and national level forums, including the Humanitarian Country Teams  ( HCT ) , Inter Cluster Coordination Groups  ( ICCG ) , UNMISS, and other Clusters to discuss the PoC transition process. The Cluster is also actively involved in drafting PoC transition and community engagement plans for each PoC site.


There are critical funding gaps to sustain water, sanitation and hygiene services in the former PoC sites. UNICEF with the support of donors has funded the water, sanitation, and hygiene  ( WASH )  services in the former PoC sites since their inception and in the last three years largely out of internal resources. The resources to sustain the services have significantly declined, severely affecting the ability of UNICEF to continue the provision of basic services in the near future


IOM S NFI supported the flood affected community in Bor by providing construction materials for dike repair such as sandbags, wooden poles and bamboos. IOM collaborated with local community based organizations and the community to mobilize the youth and actively engage them in dike repair works to reduce the risk of flooding in the area.


Overall, the security situation in these locations stable with government in control. The Executive Director acknowledged that the security situation in Wau and surrounding areas has improved significantly. The last conflict was in 2015 and 2016. All locations visited have remained peaceful since.


WASH partners supported the repair of broken boreholes at health facilities in Panthou and Wathmouk payams in Aweil South. Some 7,000 WASH kits were distributed, targeting MAM and SAM caregivers.


A standalone Vitamin A Supplementation and Deworming  ( VASD )  campaign has been completed and 51,017 children were reached with Vitamin A supplementation and 35,858 children were dewormed.


In the last two weeks of March, a nutrition partner provided assistance for 958 children under five years and 292 pregnant and lactating women through 10 static nutritional facilities, eight outreach sites and one stabilization centre. Regular nutrition screening and treatment is ongoing at 10 static nutrition sites. Additional nutrition supplies were pre positioned in 10 static nutrition centres in Aweil South ahead of the rainy season


Humanitarian and recovery agencies are working to reinvigorate economic activities to ramp up local income generating opportunities in order to improve livelihoods.


Access to electricity Only 28 per cent of people in South Sudan have access to electricity


A total of $10 million will be required for Mine Action Sub Cluster activities. The cost consists of manual and mechanical clearance operations including survey and clearance of mine fields, cluster strikes and BAC sites. The costs incurred are due to technical equipment and the number of personnel, both of which are required to meet compliance with the National Technical Standards and Guidelines, as well as the International Mine Action Standards.


The situation is exacerbated by attacks on health facilities, with the closure of 20 per cent of them.


The South Sudanese people also continue to be highly vulnerable to epidemic diseases, due to low immunization coverage, a weak health system and poor hygiene and sanitation.


The DLR and anticipatory action stands at US$10.3 million. So far, US$8 million has been raised through USAID, the European Union, France, Germany, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Russian Federation.


An estimated 182,000 or 14 per cent of this population group live in PoC sites, where they have received some level of humanitarian service, but they are unable to return to their homes due to security concerns or because their houses have been damaged or occupied due to long years of displacement.


Delays in the procurement and delivery of relief supplies have impacted the distribution of dry season livelihoods support for more than 18,100 households in Akobo East.


Sub cluster members are required to ensure that distribution of dignity kits and sanitary napkins be accompanied by enhanced cultural appropriateness awareness sessions to use these products appropriately.


While the humanitarian operation is well established in South Sudan, high staff turnover and new global guidance requires humanitarian organizations and clusters to constantly evolve and strengthen internal capacities. Adapting the response to the specific needs and capacities of particular groups or individuals – according to their age, gender, disability, vulnerability to particular protection concerns, or preference for particular modalities of assistance such as cash – often requires specialist knowledge and expertise. Similar capacity is needed when setting up tailored feedback and complaints mechanisms in affected communities.


On December 20, 2013, USAID activated a Disaster Assistance Response Team  ( DART )  to lead the USG response to the crisis in South Sudan and stood up a Washington, D.C. based Response Management Team  ( RMT )  to support the DART.


 On December 15, 2013, clashes erupted between factions within the Government of the Republic of South Sudan  ( GoRSS )  in Juba and quickly spread into a protracted national conflict, prompting displacement and humanitarian needs


USAID/BHA also supports integrated community case management services in South Sudan, which deliver life saving curative interventions for common childhood illnesses, particularly where there is limited access to facility based services.


Access to education An estimated 2.4 million children were out of school in 2020


In Akobo WFP reached 74,205 beneficiaries with life saving food assistance, representing 100 percent of the February target.


Flooding continues to negatively impact WFP's efforts to deliver food commodities in IPC priority counties such as, in Ayok, Duk, and Twic East. WFP has continued to explore alternate options to preposition and deliver food for the rest of year. One of these alternate options includes WFP's operation to patch the dyke parallel to the Baidit Jalle Maibor road, drain the flood water from this region and subsequently rehabilitate the BorBaidit Jalle Mabior road axis. This operation is critical to allow WFP to preposition over 60,000 mt of commodities before the start of the rainy season, in April/May, and improve the connectivity between Jonglei and the rest of the country.


Recommendations: Ensure that the transmissibility of the virus in hot climate is integrated into ongoing messaging to counter the perception that the warm weather in South Sudan will prevent the spread of Coronavirus, Stress that Coronavirus is not a normal flu, although it may share symptoms with other disease that people are familiar with.


USAID/BHA also supports hygiene promotion activities through public health campaigns and the distribution of essential supplies, such as buckets, soap, and dignity and hygiene kits.


Humanitarian organizations have requested support from OCHA and the UN Mission in South Sudan to raise concerns regarding insecurity in Central Equatoria with senior government officials.


USAID/BHA non governmental organization  ( NGO )  sub partners Livewell, Save the Children Federation  ( SCF ) , United Networks for Health, and TADO began increasing mobile medical services and bolstering primary health care unit staffing in Pibor, Tonj East, and Tonj South in early March. Moreover, humanitarian partners have scaled up programs for humanitarian protection in severely affected areas in recent weeks, initiating gender based violence  ( GBV )  prevention and risk mitigation activities in Pibor, reaching more than 3,800 children with psychosocial support, case management, and risk mitigation messaging in Akobo, and establishing women  and girl friendly spaces in Tonj North and Tonj South.


• In Naivasha IDP site IOM camp management continued to ensure coordinated, inclusive and timely service provision after the transition of the PoC site to formal IDP site. Working towards the local capacity building component of the transition workplan, IOM conducted 3 days camp administration training for government counterparts including RRC, SSNPS and municipal Council in addition to local NGOs and several community representatives.


In January over 250,000 IDPs were reached by 5 CCCM Cluster partners who responded in various IDP sites and displacement locations where they provided IDPs with CCCM services including coordination of service provision, site care and maintenance, safety audits, communication and community engagement, COVID 19 preventive awareness rasing, leadership training, and monitoring service provisions inside the IDP/PoC sites.


Although, there are locally available shelter materials such as grass, poles, and sticks from the bushes, the water levels are high hence challenging to physically access them.


According to UNOCHA, a coordinated humanitarian response scale up in the most affected states of Jonglei, Lakes and Unity was initiated to respond to the increased needs of people affected and displaced by the floodwaters.


South Sudan has significant alluvial gold deposits. These are concentrated mainly in Central and Eastern Equatoria, although there is also gold mining activity in Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria and Upper Nile. Unlike oil, alluvial gold deposits are relatively easy to exploit, with almost no capital or specialist equipment required. Gold has become more significant to the conflict economy in recent years. It could, however, also become an important source of public resources and local livelihoods. Gold mining in South Sudan is regulated by the Mining Act, 2012, which provides for a number of license categories, from prospecting to production, at various scales.


In addition, South Sudan has created two special committees to oversee critical economic and PFM reforms in response to COVID 19. On 17 April 2020, the South Sudan Minister of Finance released an order for the forma9on of a PFM oversight committee to implement the recommenda9on of the IMF. This ministerial committees order was intended to provide for the formation of PFM structures as follows: PFM oversight committee, PFM technical committee and the PFM secretariat. In addi9on, authorities have set up a technical committee to develop urgent alternative strategic sources of non  oil revenue to supplement the gap being created by dwindling global oil prices. At the same time, authorities are looking to explore the poten9al for trade in Gum Arabic, Gold, Sesame, Honey, and Diamond among other minerals as alterna9ve sources of export revenue.


UNICEF supported the registration and writing of exams for 315 candidate children  ( 121 girls and 194 boys )  who had missed the Primary 8 examinations due to insecurity through the transportation of examinations to the former South Sudan People's Liberation Movement in Opposition  ( SPLM IO )  areas in Upper Nile and Jonglei State. In addition, during the reporting period 134 schools and examination centres were provided with handwashing facilities, in Lakes state and Abyei Administrative Area. Furthermore, UNICEF in collaboration with Education Cluster partners is supporting the Ministry of Education and General Instruction to prepare for the Senior 4 national examinations taking place from 22 March 2021.


During the reporting period UNICEF and Education Cluster partners supported the national examinations for Primary 8 learners across the country. Approximately 23,045 Primary 8 candidates  ( 9,671 girls and 13,374 boys )  were supported to attend the examinations. The support provided included transportation of examination question papers, and the provision of transport for candidates and government officials in remote locations.


During the reporting month, the WASH programme provided critical life saving support to vulnerable and at risk populations through the provision of access to safe water, basic sanitation and hygiene services to individuals in former protection of civilian  ( POC )  sites, host communities and internally displaced persons  ( IDPs )  in collective sites. As a result, a total of 135,678 individuals have so far been provided with access to safe drinking water through the rehabilitation of non functional water facilities in communities, schools and health care facilities. UNICEF also continued to provide support for the operation and maintenance of water yards, surface water treatment  ( SWAT )  systems and urban water systems.


Nearly half of households  ( 46% )  reported that they had not been able to buy their main staple food at some point in time since containment measures were put in place. As shown in Table 5, however, the most common reason cited for their inability to buy their main staple food did not relate to closure of markets. Rather, it was due to a lack of money  ( 44% ) , consistent with the high initial poverty level and further loss of income during the crisis. The second most prevalent reason for not being able to purchase staple food was an unaffordable increase in price, with rather similar experiences across the country.


3rd Feb, 20201  The Chairman for the National Taskforce on COVID 19 annouced new COVID 19 restrictions that will remain in place until 3 March


For COVID 19 prevention UNICEF supports training of facility and community based health workers, triage and screening points/areas in all supported health facilities for recognition and referral of suspected COVID 19 cases as well as infection prevention and control measures. Distribution of COVID 19 information education and communication  ( IEC )  materials, specifically home based care posters and brochures, was conducted in UNICEF supported health facilities during the reporting month. In addition, UNICEF distributed ORS and paracetamol to further enhance the management of mild to moderate COVID 19 cases isolated at home.


# of pupils receiving a meal in school in Equatoria region: Yes   25%, No   75%


Regular nutrition screening and treatment is ongoing at 10 static nutrition sites. Sufficient nutrition supplies were pre positioned in 10 static nutrition centres.


The food security situation in South Sudan was alarming even before the onset of the pandemic, and has remained dire. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization  ( FAO )  noted that more than half the population was facing severe acute food insecurity in February 2020.


Activities in Juba, where lockdown measures were reportedly most consistently applied, seem to have been particularly affected, with higher loss of activity among market traders  ( 31% ) , and more businesses considering closing  ( 52% )  and having competitors who closed  ( 58% ) . Foreign owned businesses  ( 42% ) , and micro businesses  ( 39% )  are also more likely to have considered closing, while few NGOs  ( 10% )  have considered ending operations.


Origin of returnees ; 67% returnees arrived from within South Sudan and 33% returnees who arrived from abroad.  ( Computed using IOM's Data Tracking Matrix, 2020 )


Government announced to open schools but students back to school without masks and no social distancing.


Private sector credit decelerated following COVID 19 containment restrictions but has since recovered to its low pre COVID 19 levels. Credit conditions are dire and private sector credit growth weakened further in the first half of 2020 as COVID 19 led to near shutdown of formal economic activity in Juba and major towns.


Aside from oil, South Sudan has immense potential for the exploitation of a number of minerals including: iron, copper, chromium, nickel, cobalt, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, and gold, among others. Yet, since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement  ( CPA )  and the establishment of the regional government of Southern Sudan in 2005, South Sudan's mineral resources have remained almost completely untapped.14 Much of the ongoing activity in the mining sector is informal and of an artisanal nature. Consequently, trade in minerals is almost entirely unregulated and there is no effective legal framework to regulate the export of South Sudanese minerals. Few export certificates have been issued and mineral exports are not recorded. While also partly the consequence of limited state capacity, all of South Sudan's non oil mineral exports are therefore, in principle, illegal. However, it was reported in mid 2019 that the government of the Republic of South Sudan signed mineral exploration deals with Canadian and U.S firms.

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A lower sulfur cap for global maritime shipping fuels helped push South Sudan oil into premium category, potentially averting a worse crisis. The International Marine Organization enforced a new 0.5% global sulfur cap on bunker fuels from January 1, 2020, lower from the present 3.5% limit. With the lower sulfur fuel emission standards, demand has skyrocketed for crudes that can yield heavy marine fuel in as few processing steps as possible. South Sudanese Nile and Dar Blend crudes for instance, have low sulfur content and high fuel oil yield, which suddenly pushed them into the spotlight amongst Asian crude traders. Consequently, price differentials for South Sudan's Dar Blend crude grade flipped into premiums in the first half of the year, helping South Sudan achieve a relatively high weighted average price in FY20.


Overcrowding of IDPs are posing high risk of COVID 19 infection.


A total of 188 triages for COVID 19 screening  ( 98.4 per cent of the target )  were set up in Provision of Essential Health Services Project  ( PEHSP )  facilities and a total of 1,276 health facility staff have been trained on COVID 19 screening and triage  ( 108 per cent of the target ) . To enhance standard IPC practices in health facilities, 1,470 health care workers  ( 111 per cent of the target ) , have been trained on basic IPC/WASH in health facilities, packages of personal protective equipment  ( PPE )  and IPC/WASH were supplies distributed in all 191 PEHSP health facilities and 1,690 Boma health workers  ( BHWs )  were trained on community COVID 19 BHW training package  ( 92 per cent of the target ) . The Boma Health Workers training package includes maintaining community health services, hygiene promotion and community surveillance/alert reporting.


The latest numbers show that more than 986,000 people have been affected by flooding in areas along the White Nile River since July 2020. Jonglei state is the most affected  ( 490,000 people ) , followed by Lakes  ( 147,000 people ) , Unity  ( 101,000 ) , Upper Nile  ( 76,000 ) , Warrap  ( 60,000 ) , Western Equatoria  ( 60,000 ) , Central Equatoria  ( 40,000 )  and Northern Bahr el Ghazal state  ( 15,000 ) . The reporting period was also marked by reports of localized disease outbreaks, mainly vaccinederived polio virus and an increase in measles cases.


Most schools were not in operation in Central Equatoria.


A majority of the schools assessed were in rural areas  ( 81.9% )  while the rest  ( 18.1% )  were located in urban areas.


In collaboration with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management  ( MHADM ) , IOM organized a one day floods early warning system workshop in Juba, attended by numerous line ministries. The workshop also brought together disaster readiness experts and data scientists to discuss how data collection and sharing methodologies can improve governmental disaster management efforts, humanitarian responses, and rates of individual survival and prosperity. In Wau, IOM is conducting a housing, land, and property  ( HLP )  mapping in 15 villages.


A total of 13,079 individuals received MHPSS services in Wau, Malakal, and Bentiu in September. To commemorate World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September, MHPSS teams carried out various awareness raising and suicide prevention activities at all field locations, engaging communities and MHPSS stakeholders. This included support group discussions with diverse gender and age groups to address risk factors and facilitate peer to peer support for suicide prevention. Radio talk shows and virtual round table discussions were also held to mobilize joint action to prevent suicide and provide support to those at increased risk.


Diaspora remittances. Diaspora remittances are an important source of foreign exchange and funds for household consumption. Remittances accounted for about 27% of GDP in 2019, placing South Sudan among the most reliant on these flows.


( UNMISS and OHCHR make the following recommendations  )  To the international community: Encourage humanitarian and development stakeholders to strengthen their protection related activities, particularly by reinforcing the capacity of national and local authorities to prevent armed violence in Jonglei and GPAA.


Integrated Disease surveillance and response  ( IDSR )  timeliness & completeness performance at county level for week 8 of 2021 was highest in Western Equatoria State  ( timeliness %: 100% and completeness %: 100% )  and lowest was in Warrap State  ( timeliness %: 37% and completeness %: 51% )


( UNMISS and OHCHR make the following recommendations  )  To community based militias: • Urge the leaders of Dinka, Nuer and Murle community based militias to respect human rights, as well as immediately release all women and children abducted during armed violence in Jonglei and GPAA.


In week 8 of 2021, the highest cases was recorded in Central Equatoria state (  95.3% ) .


The key drivers of food insecurity included the restrictions put in place to reduce the spread of COVID 19 which negatively impacted the movement of goods and people to and from the State. Furthermore, crops were affected by pests as well as climatic shocks including a long dry spell and subsequent flooding that also inundated shelters and displaced households.


The key drivers of food insecurity were the combined effects of high food prices, insecurity events and devastating floods that affected farming activities mainly in Awerial, Rumbek East and Yirol East counties.


The slight improvement in the food security situation is attributed to availability of harvests and other seasonal improvements such as availability of some milk, fish, and wild foods. However, with the onset of the dry season, there is a likelihood of intercommunal conflicts and associated insecurity which will limit dry season movements to access food sources and market areas in the affected areas.


The deterioration is because of the depletion of harvested food stocks, high food prices and reduced household purchasing power because of the anticipated continuation of the local currency's devaluation. However, availability of agricultural labour opportunities will provide some income for poorer households to access food.


During this period, an estimated 82,000 people  ( 9.0% of the population )  are likely to face Crisis  ( IPC phase 3 )  or worse acute food insecurity, of which 80,000 people will likely be in Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  acute food insecurity, and 2,000 people will likely be in Emergency  ( IPC Phase 4 )  acute food insecurity.


The general security situation remains fragile, with security concerns across the country due to subnational conflicts. In October, cycles of localized violence continued in Lakes State, with numerous security incidents reported, particularly in Rumbek Centre County in a continuation of protracted conflict over access to resources and land. On 19 October, clashes broke out in Kangi payam of Jur River, in Western Bahr el Ghazal State. In Unity, fighting erupted in Mayom County.


The South Sudanese Pound  ( SSP )  continued to lose its value against the US dollar, dropping by 20 percent between 13 and 14 October 2020.


Furthermore, households whose farming activities were affected by flooding and dry spells are expected to run out of their cereal stocks earlier in the projection period, resulting in a deterioration of their food security situation. However, availability of fish will counter some of the resultant food gaps.


According to the IPC AMN projection analysis, seasonal deterioration of acute malnutrition situation is expected during the lean season due to increased morbidity, high food insecurity and poor infant and young child feeding practices.


The WFP South Sudan fleet has had a very busy year especially during the rainy season. The rainy season deteriorates road infrastructure and causes some roads to completely close. WFP relies on its own fleet for delivery of food to areas that have bad road conditions, are remote and insecure, and where commercial transporters hesitate to deliver. The WFP fleet consist of 196 cargo trucks and 11 All Terrain Vehicles that deliver to over 3,000 destinations across the country.


Logistics Cluster : 36% that is 84m required, 30m funded, 54m unmet.  [ 2020 HRP FUNDING  ( end September 2020 )  ]


2020 HRP Funding  ( end September 2020 )   $1.9B required where $704m funded, $1.2B unmet that is 37% funded.


The Logistics Cluster and WHO, as co leads of the Operational Support and Logistics Pillar of the National Response Plan on COVID 19, continue to manage the Personal Protective Equipment  ( PPE )  Common Request System. The Logistics Cluster is consolidating requests on a weekly basis for the inter agency technical team, who reviews and allocates the COVID 19 PPE commodities for onward cargo transportation. As of 31 October, 217 requests have been approved, allocating a total of more than 2.5 million PPE items from the common pool to be received in more than 250 locations across South Sudan.


Raiding cattle was one of the objectives of the community based militias and explains in part the sequence and direction of the attacks. Local experts estimate that over 86,000 cattle  ( worth at least USD 30 million )  were stolen by the Dinka and Nuer during the reporting period.


In October to November 2020, an estimated 655,000 people  ( 55.6% of the population )  faced Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  or worse acute food insecurity, of which 447,000 people were in Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  acute food insecurity, and 208,000 people were in Emergency  ( IPC Phase 4 )  acute food insecurity. During this period, Cueibet, Rumbek Center, Rumbek East and Yirol East counties were classified in Emergency  ( IPC Phase 4 )  acute food insecurity, whereas Awerial, Rumbek North, Wulu and Yirol West counties were classified in Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  acute food insecurity.


During this period, Panyikang, Ulang, Nasir, Maiwut and Manyo counties were classified in Emergency  ( IPC Phase 4 )  acute food insecurity, whereas the rest were classified in Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  acute food insecurity. In Panyikang County, food insecurity was driven by reduced incomes, high food prices, lack of markets and low livestock holdings that affected access to milk.


Pibor County, which would normally see a seasonal improvement with the return of livestock to the homesteads, is expected to further deteriorate as very few animals will return because of the considerable earlier losses, the anticipated continuation of conflict, the reduced availability of wild animals and fish, the economic crisis, high food prices, and the reduction of commercial and humanitarian supplies because of the onset of the rains and the likely effects of COVID 19 measures. All eleven counites will likely see a further deterioration in food insecurity during this second projection period.


While the IPC provides a comprehensive basis for understanding food security, there is a need to complement this with a unified country wide MSNA of needs to inform the planning, implementation and coordination of humanitarian programs across the country.


South Sudan remains one of the most challenging service delivery environments in the world as agencies continue to operate in a context of limited access, persistent insecurity including deliberate targeting of humanitarian assets and a constant threat to the security of staff.


This year's floods were more intense than 2019 due to the high water levels in Lakes Victoria and Albert moving through the River Nile and with above average rainfall experienced in most parts of the country and in neighbouring Ethiopia.


In 2021, more than 654,800 people are estimated to be at risk of injury or death from of landmines and ERW. Counties with the highest level of recorded contamination are Juba, Lainya, Magwi, Morobo, Mundri East, Terekeka, Torit, and Yei in the Equatorias, Akobo and Canal Pigi in Jonglei as well as Maban, Upper Nile


The Protection cluster will continue to work with communities to identify and strengthen the resilience of affected people, and to build capacity of local organizations, including civil society organizations and national NGOs, to understand, adhere to, and report on violations of International Humanitarian Law  ( IHL )  and International Human Rights Law  ( IHRL ) .


The Protection Cluster remains committed to the unified statement on the centrality of protection in humanitarian action and the Human Rights Up Front initiative. The cluster remains committed to focusing on alleviating human suffering and protecting the lives and dignity of people in need by providing strategic direction, that is consistent with the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, International Human Rights Law  ( IHRL )  and the broader framework for international humanitarian action, ensuring respect of human rights


In Upper Nile, diagnostic capacity is poor and there are significant pockets of kala azar disease. Snakebites pose a risk during the rainy season, and timely treatment is crucial.


The PoE TWG  ( Technical Working Group )  conducted the final joint supportive supervision visits to the Maban refugee camp to visit four screening sites, namely Shatta, Khortumbak PoE, Elfoj/Kaya, and Ofrah. The purpose of the visits was to ensure that the screening sites comply with the recommendations presented and guidelines stipulated in the COVID 19 Standard Operating Procedures, provide onsite support to implementing teams, and better understand the challenges.


A total of 9 counties that were previously classified as IPC AMN  ( Acute Malnutrition )  Phase 3  ( Serious )  during the previous lean season will deteriorate into a worse phase in the coming 2021 projection period.


With the planned levels of HFA, 0.3% of the population  ( about 31,000 people )  will likely be in Catastrophe  ( IPC Phase 5 )  acute food insecurity in Akobo County in Jonglei State, Aweil South County in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, and Tonj North County in Warrap State; 20.5% of the population  ( about 2.47 million people )  will be in Emergency  ( IPC Phase 4 )  acute food insecurity; and 39.3% of the population  ( about 4.74 million people )  will be in Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  acute food insecurity.


As of 12 March 2021, Logistics has dispatched 64,753mt of assorted food commodities over Land, River and Air across South Sudan.


27 December 2020   277 new COVID 19 cases confirmed out of 9,978 tests conducted, bringing the total to 3,511 confirmed cases.


IOM handed over screening at Amiet  ( Abyei ) , Wunthou  ( Renk )  and Juba International Airport PoEs to the Ministry of Health on 31 December 2020.


The RRC director in Tonj South reported some 30,000 people displaced from Tonj North, currently sheltering in several locations in Tonj South including Thiet, Wanhalel and Tonj Town. The RRC has estimated that there are more than 50,000 people displaced in Tonj South.


Nutrition services continue in most of the nutrition centres in Tonj North, but with limited capacity and resources. Nutrition Cluster partners in Tonj North provided nutritional assistance to 1,230 under five children and 1,052 pregnant and lactating women through 13 static nutritional facilities and 1 stabilization centre.


Four of nine payams in Tonj North have limited access due to insecurity. Violence and displacement have significantly affected access of people to health services, particularly the displaced families in hard to reach areas, as well as resupply of facilities and pre positioning efforts ahead of the rainy season


Based on the IPC projections for December to March 2021, an estimated 141,000 people are facing crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  or higher levels of food insecurity  ( or 55 per cent of the population of Tonj North County )  with an estimated 26,000 people likely face catastrophe levels of acute food insecurity  ( IPC Phase 5 )  in Tonj North County between December and March.


Regional Refugee Coordination Office  ( RRC )  and Relief, Rehabilitation and Protection  ( RRP )   )  to continue engaging in a smooth transition of camp administration roles and responsibilities, ACTED to continue to make RRC familiar with the overview and management of Juba IDP camps and RRC to provide feedback on the questions and concerns raised by the community.


In line with the 2021 Logistics Cluster Efficiencies and Preposition Strategy, the Logistics Cluster conducted two field mission to Panyijar county and Bentiu to ensure pre positioning strategies are in place and to assess the possibility of expanding river operations to Unity State.


In December 2020, mobile connection has been restored in Baliet county which significantly improved access to information by IDPs in Melut.  [ IRNA Report:  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ] |


In Jonglei, in the country's east, alarming and escalating intercommunal fighting erupted in 2020. Intra Dinka fighting in Warrap and Lakes states has also reached fever pitch, with hundreds killed each year and local militias so well armed they can go toe to toe with the military


WASH Cluster partners are working closely with the Logistics Cluster to ensure the timely delivery of WASH items via land routes to Akobo East and West and pre positioning ahead of rainy season. Funding for critical WASH interventions remains a significant challenge.


One cluster member completed the construction of a women and girl friendly space in Akobo. Protection partners conducted trainings to support community based protection structures, facilitating identification and referral for protection concerns; a total of 217 individuals  ( 112 female and 104 male )  were trained, including 20 protection focal points. Partners provided individual protection assistance for 885 people through cash grants  ( 285 female; 115 male )  and in kind assistance  ( 384 female, and101 male ) .

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GBV partners in Pibor received 800 dignity kits, of which 400 were distributed in Pibor and Gumuruk. In Pibor County, over 34,000 individuals  ( 336 girls, 210 boys, 23,840 women, and 11,600 men )  were reached with protection awareness raising and prevention messaging.


South Sudanese and external actors will need to manage a delicate and combustible pre election period, taking care neither to rush the country into a vote, if elections look likely to trigger major conflict, nor to let the process stall indefinitely and thus create renewed flashpoints between the incumbent president and an embittered opposition.


To bolster the ceasefire, the authorities and civil actors, especially religious leaders, who frequently mediate peace at the grassroots, should also call for and develop local political settlements to calm down other hotspots and stop various conflicts from splintering into new disputes.


Preposition malaria testing kits, malaria treatment and acute diarhooea medicines.  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ]


United Nations Mission in South Sudan  ( UNMISS )  provided technical assistance to the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare on a proposed affirmative action bill that, once adopted, would reaffirm the legal requirements for the signatories to the Agreement to include women at all levels and in all structures of government.


There is an immediate need for NFI provision targeting displaced communities. Due to limitations of NFIs at the existing markets, direct NFI kits distribution is the most required for IDPs in three camps. Priority items include mosquito nets, plastic sheets, blankets and solar lamps.  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ]