Attachments
Executive Summary
● Refugee policies in South Sudan are open and progressive. The 2012 South Sudan Refugee Act provides for refugeesʼ socio-economic rights, including the right to work and access public services. The law does not mention any provisions on freedom of movement, though in practice refugees move freely within the country. Those relocating from camps to other locations may need travel permits from the Commissioner for Refugee Affairs CRA.
● Refugees in South Sudan do not require a work permit to seek employment. With only the refugee identity card issued to them upon entry, refugees have the same right to apply for jobs as South Sudanese nationals and follow the same recruitment processes. There are no reported document restrictions for refugees to access employment in South Sudan.
● The process of obtaining a refugee identity card ID) is straightforward. The United Nations Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR) and CRA provide an attestation document at the point of entry in a settlement that can be used to access humanitarian assistance. The refugee ID, valid for 3 years, is then printed and issued to the refugees, with waiting periods of up to a month. Renewal of these IDs is currently on hold, as the government intends to begin issuance of biometric refugee IDs.
● Refugees have a right to access financial services including opening bank accounts. However, some have reported facing challenges opening accounts since some banks do not consider a refugee ID valid documentation to use banking services.
● There is no publicly available data on refugees in formal employment in South Sudan. The CRA reports that there are refugees working informally across all sectors. The labour market in South Sudan is mainly characterised by informal work in subsistence agriculture and a lack of technical, vocational and tertiary education. This limits formal employment opportunities for both nationals and refugees. Non-governmental organisations engage refugees as incentive workers in positions like community outreach volunteers, translators, and clinical assistants in exchange for a small stipend.
● There is no evidence of partnerships that support refugee livelihood and private sector engagement in South Sudan. There are new projects such as the Entrepreneurship Support to Refugees and Host Communities in South Sudan ESRHCSS Project launched in April 2023, though their progress cannot be evaluated at this time.
● The report suggests that the government, NGOs and refugee-led organisations raise awareness on the rights of refugees to access employment and services to private sector actors.
● Humanitarian organisations should also consider formalising refugee employment by offering professional placements since refugees in South Sudan are eligible for formal employment.