This is the introduction piece to the collection of publications on “Education, Conflict and Civicness in South Sudan”, which is the outcome of a collaboration between the South Sudan Studies Association (SSSA) and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). The collection of essays is interested in exploring the political significance of unequal access to education, considering gender, ethnicity, and locality; forms of political violence, patronage, and intimidation in the education system; and…
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No Time to Mourn is a collection of short stories, poems, artwork and photography penned, produced and presented by South Sudanese women. It reflects the lives of the women writers and artists, and at the same time gives voice to the very real lived experiences and lives of every woman of South Sudanese heritage. The ideas and experiences in this book span decades they straddle borders, they cross continents and describe events that are hard…
Abstract This article analyzes the increasingly prominent role of regional organizations (ROs) and non‐governmental organizations (NGOs) in promoting norms in mediation processes. In particular, the authors seek to understand the processes by which RO and NGO mediators promote the inclusivity norm to negotiating parties and the outcomes that result. The authors employ the concepts of local agency and social practices in examining the normative agency of ROs and NGOs in promoting and redefining the inclusivity…
Abstract Over the past two decades, the rangelands of Eastern Africa have experienced sweeping changes associated with growing human populations, shifting land use, expanding livestock marketing and trade, and greater investment by domestic and global capital. These trends have coincided with several large shocks that were turning points for how rangeland inhabitants make a living. As livelihoods in the region’s rangelands transform in seemingly paradoxical directions, away from customary pastoralist production systems, greater insight is…
This report describes the main findings and recommendations of research carried out for the Partners for Resilience (PfR) alliance on how the PfR programme is affected by – or may affect – conflict. Although PfR works in different conflict-affected countries and contexts, it does not address conflict or insecurity explicitly. This is potentially problematic for PfR’s effectiveness. It is therefore important to consider whether PfR could or should address conflict more explicitly. For this research,…
This blog highlights the benefits of strengthening coordination between humanitarian, peacebuilding and development actors implementing aid responses in South Sudan, particularly in times of humanitarian crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It was written by Nora Schmidlin from the Analysis and Impact team at swisspeace, with input from CSRF colleagues. The triple nexus is getting a lot of attention, both in global capitals, such as here in Bern, where I am based, as well as…
Introduction On August 25, Transitional Justice Working Group of South Sudan, Human Rights Watch, and Institute for Security Studies held a webinar for the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) members and other officials to discuss the urgency for the establishment of the AU Hybrid Court for South Sudan, as a key factor toensuring long term stability and accountability for serious crimes in South Sudan. The initiative came on the heels of a…
Abstract Background: Despite high rates of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in conflict and humanitariancontexts, many survivors do not tell anyone about their experience or seek help from support r services (e.g. health, legal, psychosocial support, police). Methods: This paper examines disclosure and help seeking behaviours of survivors of non-partner sexual violence (NPSV) and intimate partner violence (IPV) among women and girls aged 15–64 from three sites in South Sudan. It seeks to understand…
Abstract South Sudan is a poignant case study for understanding the opportunities as well as the more controversial ideas within the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus. The characteristics of the protracted crisis in the country, its root causes and the long-standing experience with a pragmatic, integrated approach on community level make the Triple Nexus for local actors an inter-esting way forward. While an integrated Triple Nexus approach poses risks of instrumentalising humanitarian action, humanitarian actors do not perceive…
Abstract Background Conflict and humanitarian crises increase the risk of both intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence against women and girls. The authors measured the prevalence and risk factors of different forms of violence against women and girls in South Sudan, which has suffered decades of conflict, most recently in 2013. Methods A population-based survey was conducted among women aged 15–64 in three conflict-affected sites in South Sudan: Juba, Rumbek, and the Protection of…