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HIGHLIGHTS
In 2024, South Sudan faces profound humanitarian crises, compounded by the returnee and refugee influx from the Sudan conflict. Urgent assistance is needed for nine million people, including 4.9 million children, 2.2 million women, and 1.4 million individuals with disabilities.
Conflict, insecurity, epidemic outbreaks, protracted flooding, heatwaves, and the destabilizing impact of the Sudan conflict on South Sudan's economy are rapidly exacerbating vulnerabilities, especially among children. South Sudan anticipates its inaugural election in December 2024. UNICEF’s humanitarian strategy prioritizes the most acute needs and complements development and resilience-building programmes.
UNICEF works through community structures and partnerships with a focus on localized, adaptive responses, that strengthen local structures, systems and accountability to affected populations. Action is risk-informed and evidence-based and embraces climate adaptation, conflict-sensitive approaches and anticipatory action to mitigate the impact of disasters.
UNICEF requires $252.5 million to meet children's basic needs, live-saving needs; a particular challenge given a 50 percent reduction in donor humanitarian contributions
KEY PLANNED TARGETS
720,000 people affected by health emergencies reached with primary health care services
397,292 children with severe wasting admitted for treatment
82,500 children/caregivers accessing communitybased mental health and psychosocial support
700,000 people accessing a sufficient quantity and quality of water
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION AND NEEDS
South Sudan will face a complex year in 2024, with growing humanitarian needs, hyperinflation and significant aid cuts. The political environment is fragile, with attention focused on fulfilling the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (2018),and hosting the country's first elections in December. Nine million people, including 4.9 million children will require humanitarian assistance, 15 per cent of whom have a disability. Political instability, violence, widespread flooding, and disease outbreaks are compounding the complex, chronic needs of the most vulnerable people, especially children. Livelihoods are severely impacted and access to education, nutrition, water, sanitation and health services hampered. Children are at a high risk of abuse, violence, exploitation and psychosocial distress; and 2.8 million children (52 per cent girls) are out of school. Women and children are the most vulnerable to gender-based violence.
South Sudan is home to a displacement crisis with 2 million people internally displaced. Further, conflict in neighboring Sudan has exacerbated the situation. Since April 2023 to 27 March 2024, a total of 622,714 individuals (including 161,699 girls and 160,425 boys) crossed into South Sudan in immediate need of assistance and protection. Displacements have further strained existing services; 46 per cent of health facilities are moderately operational, and less than 10 per cent of the population have access to improved sanitation. These conditions increase the risk of disease outbreaks and record high rates of malnutrition. Upwards of 7 million people are expected to experience acute food insecurity.
Women and children on the move face serious deprivations and are exposed to major protection risks. Those arriving to South Sudan have endured long and often dangerous journeys. The arrivals into South Sudan are in urgent need of health services with alarming rates of malnutrition recorded, ranging from a proxy Global Acute Malnutrition rate between 17 - 27 per cent at border entry locations. Protection screening has identified many highly vulnerable cases, including unaccompanied and separated children, missing children, high levels of trauma, as well as reports of gender-based violence and abuse. To date, most people arriving demonstrate high levels of food insecurity, and do not have the ability to meet basic needs. South Sudan is ranked the second most susceptible nation to the effects of natural hazards, including droughts, heatwaves and flooding. In 2023, 11.8 per cent of the child population was displaced due to flooding. In 2024, more than 60 per cent of the population is expected to be acutely food insecure, and 2 million lactating women and children under age 5 are expected to suffer from wasting.