26 November 2014 - Just weeks into a public education campaign on the role of UNMISS, the mission has reached some 2,500 secondary school students with its message.

“From my understanding UNMISS is here to assist, not to replace our government,” said a young participant at one of several interactive sessions held recently with students in secondary schools around the capital Juba.

“Who would we blame when they eventually leave?” the teenager from Juba Girls Secondary School asked, arguing that delivery of social services was the primary responsibility of the South Sudanese government.

The campaign by UNMISS’ Communications and Public Information Office to acquaint students with the mission’s mandate currently targets senior secondary schools in Central Equatoria State.

The initiative also aims to alter public misperceptions about UNMISS’ work in the face of ongoing conflict in the country.

Against this backdrop of crisis, the UN Security Council emphasized protecting civilians when it extended the UNMISS mandate on 24 November.

The mission is also tasked with investigating and reporting on human rights abuses by parties to the conflict, creating conditions for delivery of humanitarian assistance and supporting the Cessation of Hostilities agreement.

Institutions covered in this pilot phase of the campaign include Mahad Senior Secondary School, Juba Day and Rajaf Senior Secondary School, Juba Commercial Senior Secondary School, Supiri and Rokon Senior Secondary School, and the Juba Girls and Kapuki Senior Secondary School.

Following the pilot phase, which wraps up on 28 November, the mission plans to extend its information campaign to the rest of country.