In July and August 2019, a Refugees International team visited Juba and Malakal in South Sudan and interviewed dozens of UN, government, and nongovernmental organization (NGO) officials, as well as internally displaced people (IDPs) living in Protection of Civilian sites (PoCs) in Juba and Malakal. They also interviewed several local women’s groups. The team asked interviewees about the situation generally, but also focused on the unique challenges and protection risks that women and girls face in South Sudan, particularly inside PoCs. Although the PoCs house just 10 percent of all IDPs in South Sudan, they are an important microcosm of the larger issues IDPs face, and those living there are some of the most vulnerable and at risk. One of the main topics the Refugees International team researched was the preponderance of gender-based violence (GBV)—targeted violence against individuals or groups based on gender—in South Sudan and the lack of accountability associated with those crimes.

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