This report presents findings about South Sudanese citizens’ perceptions of peace from a survey in 2021-2022. The three-wave survey recorded the views of 8,843 people from 12 counties across 9 states and special administrative areas, covering urban, rural and IDP camp environments. Respondents were asked questions about their daily experiences of safety, based on indicators of ‘everyday peace’ developed through focus groups. They also shared their views on a wide range of related topics, including…
Entries by et al.
This policy brief presents a summary of findings about citizens’ perceptions of upcoming national elections, from a survey of South Sudanese respondents in 2021-2022. National elections are meant to be the endpoint of South Sudan’s political transition. Data collected before the announcement of the extension of the transitional period demonstrates strong support from South Sudanese respondents for elections in 2023. Findings suggest that although elections are likely to support and sustain the political status quo,…
This policy brief presents the headline findings about citizens’ perceptions of security and governance from a survey of South Sudanese respondents in 2021-2022. Respondents shared their views on a range of governance topics, from power sharing to the implications of army unification. Respondents who were otherwise divided about how the government should rule rallied around the value of government accountability. Respondents also voiced overwhelming support for parliamentary input to presidential decision making. These findings underline…
South Sudan has not escaped the world’s attention even after the signing of the infamous Revitalized Peace Agreement in September 2018 that, for the 12th time, brought the two antagonists –Kiir and Dr. Machar, to the negotiation table since the conflict began in 2013. Even with the aura of a shaky peace, the main question is whether the new Agreement will stand the test of time, going on the history of the failed implementation of…
Perceptions matter. People’s views on peace and security shape how they perceive peace processes with real world consequences. More optimistic views on prospects for peace among a population can give people a stake in their political future and help to generate political momentum for transitional processes. Positive perceptions of peace can reduce the attraction of armed groups, increase engagement with peace initiatives, and improve compliance with a transitional framework, both nationally and at a local…
South Sudan is the youngest state in the world. Yet, since its independence, several shocks and crises brought food security to the edge of collapse. Both humanitarian and development agencies have adopted multisector interventions to enhance resilience. This paper provides data-driven evidence from a randomized impact evaluation in Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria state. The intervention adopted a multifaceted strategy to improve the resilience and food security of vulnerable households. Results suggest that the initiative was successful…
In following the lives of displaced female youth in South Sudan and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, the research team was struck by how central mental health—in particular poor mental health and psychosocial functioning (MHPSS)—was to the lives of the study participants. This briefing paper outlines the general situation of displaced female youth—unmarried, married, divorced, widowed—from a MHPSS lens. The study shows how female youth in displacement are negatively impacted by traumatic experiences coming from…
Attempts to manage and resolve the conflict in South Sudan have seen the involvement of numerous international actors, including neighbouring countries—namely Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya—the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union (AU), the so-called Troika (United States, United Kingdom, and Norway), as well as the EU, China and the UN. Interviews with a cross-section of national stakeholders demonstrate a deep sense of scepticism about the efficacy of peacemaking and peacebuilding initiatives in…
This report explores the association between climate anomalies, population dynamics, conflict and organised violence in Sudan and South Sudan, at the sub-national level and for the years 1989-2015. The analyses are conducted using a spatial approach and with geocoded information on organized violence events, climate anomalies and population dynamics. Our results indicate a positive correlation of temperature anomalies with conflict and organised violence at the local level. Precipitation anomalies also positively correlate with organised violence,…
Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) is endemic in South Sudan. Approaches to end VAWG are barely making a dent in prevalence figures. Global evidence tells us that ending VAWG in conflict-ridden contexts is challenging on many levels. Our research points to the need for social and gender norm change approaches to be better contextualised within the political economy and through applying a nuanced critique of the role of culture in normalising many forms of…