News

MALAKAL - It was not an easy start. When Swathi Shanthakumar first joined the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in Malakal, she encountered many challenges interacting with local communities. “Women were…

UPPER NILE – In many countries, especially for boys, it is still normal to be taught that crying is a weakness. In Renk, it became a symbol of strength where none of what each of the more than 4000 incoming refugees and…

YAMBIO – The small village of Rimenze is a place where lush landscapes hide memories of brutal conflict. Today, those memories are slowly giving way to hope for 22 children formerly associated with armed groups in Western…

JUBA – The message at the Human Rights Day commemoration in Juba was clear – human rights are equal rights. Joining parading school children and local performers, government representatives and officials from the United…

BOR - As the world’s newest nation prepares for its first post-independence elections, one of the most critical elements that must be in place to ensure the polls are conducted peacefully and credibly is security. To help…

JUBA - Formed Police Units are peacekeeping teams that have special training to operate in high-risk environments, such as conflict-affected South Sudan. Across the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, around 850 personnel…

BOR – From supporting mobile courts dispensing justice in the rural hinterlands to coordinating efforts for the return of children abducted by armed groups, Geetha Pious has seen it all. Straddling the invisible line between…

YAMBIO— Everyone at Yambio Central Prison knows her by one name: Mama Jennifer. While not her official title, it carries deep meaning as it demonstrates the trust, compassion, and respect she has earned from both prison…

UPPER NILE – What began with clandestine conversations between women from Akoka and Fashoda has now led to an end of a 12-year-old and frequently deadly land dispute between the two communities. “Fashoda and Akoka are bound…

BOR - Twelve years after running for her life, Nyanin David Koch can still vividly recall every second of the three-kilometer journey to safety. "I can still hear the echoes of gunshots,” recounts the 23-year-old. “At the age…

BOR - When extraordinary flooding struck low-lying, flood-prone Jonglei, the impact was devastating, with many farmers helplessly watching their crops and livelihoods being swept away. “I had around 400 mango, guava, lemon…

JONGLEI - Too often in South Sudan, girls are treated as assets to be sold to the highest bidder. “We treat girls as bank accounts rather than advocating for their protection and right to education,” explains the Jonglei…