Sexual violence cases spike in South Sudan despite reduction in conflict: UN

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Tuesday raised concern on rising cases of
conflict-related sexual violence between April till June 2022.
UNMISS in it’s latest human rights report, notes that cases of conflict-related sexual violence such as
rape and gang-rape and other forms of sexual violence linked to conflict increased by 218 percent during
this second quarter of the year despite 15 percent decrease in violence.
“The exponential surge in sexual and gender-based violence is completely unacceptable, impacting
most severely on the women and girls. This violence that divides communities and hampers
reconciliation needs to end,” Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and
head of UNMISS said in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
It discloses that 922 civilian casualties were recorded as result of violence in this period compared to the
second quarter in 2021.
UNMISS reveals that intercommunal conflict accounted for 60 per cent of civilian casualties, while 38
per cent of casualties were caused by government forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation
Movement/Army – In Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) who are increasingly relying on allied militias to engage in
conflict.
It says that violence in southern Unity state contributed to about a third of civilian casualties in the the
second quarter of 2022.
UNMISS discloses that it is currently supporting authorities to ensure accountability and access to justice
for survivors and victims, through a range of special and mobile courts such as the adjudication of rape
trials through a general court martial process in Yei, Central Equatoria State.
It further urges the government of South Sudan to swiftly investigate human rights violations and abuses
and to hold perpetrators to account.
“With just a few months remaining in the transition, the Mission calls for the full implementation of the
revitalized peace agreement to enable the security sector to carry out the Government’s primary
responsibility to protect civilians,” it says.