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South Sudan + 1 more

UNICEF South Sudan Humanitarian Situation Report No. 3 - March 2024

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HIGHLIGHTS

• As of March, a total of 630,685 individuals, including 326,119 children, crossed border points into South Sudan fleeing the conflict in Sudan.

• In March, 85,639 people had access to a sufficient quantity and quality of water for drinking and domestic needs and 58,812 children had access to safe and appropriate WASH facilities and hygiene services in learning and safe spaces.

• 61,582 people affected by health emergencies were reached with primary health care services.

• 15,171 women, girls and boys had access to gender-based violence risk mitigation, prevention and/or response interventions.

• 27,145 children 6-59 months with severe wasting admitted for treatment through nutrition programs.

• 92,944 primary caregivers of children 0-23 months receiving infant and young child feeding counselling.

SITUATION OVERVIEW AND HUMANITARIAN NEEDS

With the ongoing conflict in Sudan, South Sudan continues to see a steady number of refugee and returnees fleeing into South Sudan with daily average numbers of approximately 1,400 individuals. By the end of March, a total of 630,685 individuals had been documented crossing at various borders into South Sudan including 326,119 children. Refugees that are coming from Sudan make up about 21 per cent of this population with majority being those from Sudan and Eritrea. This influx continues to overwhelm the transit centres (TC) that are already crowded and stretched to maximum capacity to cater to the basic needs especially of women and children.

Over 50 per cent of this population intend to stay within the Upper Nile State with the remaining 50 per cent choosing onward movement to other parts of the country. The majority of the returnees are assisted to return to places of origin with humanitarian resources, that are already limited. There continues to be reluctance of returnees for onward movement for various reasons that include the lack of livelihood options, community insecurity, and the availability of basic services at final destination. According to a rapid intention survey in Renk TC conducted in January by IOM in collaboration with WFP, ACTED, LWF, and Save the Children 20.2 per cent of the returnees had the intention to remain at the Renk TC for various reason including waiting for family members left in Sudan, lack of services in areas of return, not sure where to go, and waiting for assistance to move8 . With the rainy season on the horizon there is increased risk of disease outbreaks, inadequate supply of food to cater to the population and further deterioration of living conditions.

The economic situation in the country continued to decline in the month of March with a steady decline of local currency value against the dollar. By the end of March, the South Sudanese pound depreciated to about 2,300 SSP per dollar in the parallel market compared to the 1,650 SSP per dollar at the end of February. This has resulted in an increase in prices of basic commodities, creating more challenging needs for many people in the country.
The devaluation of the SSP has been blamed on an oil pipeline rupture in Sudan, reducing the overall income to South Sudan on oil exports.

Severe food insecurity (IPC Phase 4) continued to be prevalent across the northern and eastern regions of the country, with households in Pibor, Duk, Aweil East, and among returnees expected to face catastrophic conditions (IPC Phase 5). With the approaching lean season, the combination of potential severe flooding and ongoing conflict, amid already worsening circumstances, heightens the risk of famine (IPC Phase 5) in parts of north-central Unity and Upper Nile9 , with already overstretched resources catering for the increasing number of refugees and returnees from Sudan. This risk is particularly concerning if flooding and conflict cut off households from food access for an extended period.
Prices of staple food remained high across different areas of the country due to high supply costs and sharp currency depreciation.

According to the Joint Market Monitoring Initiative (JMMI) report10 , the median price for a kilogram of sorghum, sugar and beans stood at 1,021, 2,475 and 2,901 SSP which is a 49 per cent, 35 per cent and 45 per cent respective increase compared to the prices in February with 85 per cent of food traders expecting the prices to continue rising. A FEWS NET’s weekly market observation in Juba and Aweil showed a low demand for commodities due to decreased purchasing capacity of many households. This situation has been worsened by the difficulty in setting prices due to the daily volatility of the exchange rate. The fluctuation of the South Sudanese pound has also caused a reduction in importation of food such as maize and sorghum from Uganda. These conditions pose a threat to the increase of malnutrition cases within the country and the needs for urgent humanitarian assistance to combat this increase.

Incidents of insecurity including intercommunal violence, road ambushes continued to prevail in the reporting month hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid as well as increasing the need for humanitarian assistance. In March 2024, UNICEF documented five security incidents on its AIMS platform that affected both its personnel and beneficiaries. Two incidents directly impacted UNICEF personnel: one involved a burglary at a hotel in Bor town, Jonglei State where a staff member lost a computer and identification documents, and another occurred in Renk, Upper Nile State resulting in the loss of a UN ID. The remaining three incidents negatively affected beneficiaries and ranged from intrusions and looting of health and nutrition supplies (including one carton of nutrition supplies, various medications, and plastic chairs) in Abiemnhom, Unity State to the theft of a total of 42 cartons of RUTF from two facilities in Bebusen and Manyathiang, Likuangule in Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA). Additionally, a UNICEF partner reported the detention of its vehicle by local authorities in Mayendit, Unity State. In all these situations, security staff in the respective areas provided essential support to the teams by following established security protocols.

Ongoing dry season cattle raids and retaliatory intra- and intergroup attacks across the country were also reported during the month of March. These attacks were concentrated in hot spots such as Jonglei State and Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) (notably Duk, Akobo, Uror, Twic East, and Gadiang), Unity State (notably in Mayom with reports of raiding displaced Misseriya herders by suspected followers of Prophet Gak Machiek), Warrap State (Tonj East, Twic County, and Aneet), and Abyei Administrative Area (AAA) with cross-border tensions involving Twic. In Lakes State (Rumbek North and Cueibet), there were confrontations as communities such as the Luanyjang (from Tonj East, Warrap) and Pakam (from Rumbek North, Lakes) sought to share limited pasture and water in contested areas such as Alur and Agar River, leading to heightened insecurity.

During the month, suspected Anyuak individuals attacked vehicles carrying security personnel and killed 15 people, including the Boma County Commissioner and the deputy garrison commander.

Murle (Lango age set) has been mobilizing for potential revenge, raising concerns of conflict spilling over to Anyuak areas in Gambella. Crime-related incidents were also reported, including gang violence in Malakal and Torit, roadside banditry targeting trucks carrying humanitarian goods in Unity and Jonglei States, and GPAA. Additionally, incidents of child abduction were reported in Jonglei State and GPAA. There were also reports of land grabbing and inter-communal tensions in Central Equatoria State (Lado Payam and Molobur Boma).

These security incidents have significantly constrained humanitarian operations, slowing down and, in some cases, preventing vulnerable populations from accessing critical aid as well as contributing to the numbers of people requiring humanitarian assistance.

In March, South Sudan continued to experience outbreaks of measles, Hepatitis E virus, poliovirus, meningitis, and yellow fever in across different areas of the country. A notable surge of measles cases was reported in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State, particularly in Aweil East and Aweil West counties and a continuous increase of cases in the Western Equatoria State. UNICEF continued to support the fight against vaccine preventable diseases through Yellow Fever reactive campaigns. The first phase of the campaign was launched in Yambio county, Western Equatoria State on 13 March 2024 reaching a total of 288,068 individuals, a coverage of 71 per cent.

UNICEF also supported the government in conducting an assessment to understand community knowledge and perceptions related to the Yellow Fever vaccine as well as conducting and monitoring evidence-based risk communication and community engagement sessions and activities to increase uptake of the vaccine across targeted counties. Continued outbreak of diseases highlights the critical necessity for ongoing support for resources to effectively curb the spread of infectious diseases especially those that are vaccine preventable.