YAMBIO – For years, Joan Atiyo Grigorio devoted her time to caring for children in her community. She often felt powerless when confronted with cases of abuse and neglect.
Whenever she witnessed the challenges children faced, this mother of nine from Tiindoka did not know where to turn for help or how to report violations.
Now this has changed, as Joan, along with over 20 other stakeholders, participated in an engagement facilitated by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) aimed at strengthening early warning mechanisms and improving reporting channels for violations of child rights and human rights in Yambio, the capital of Western Equatoria state.
“While I was painfully aware of the suffering many children undergo, I did not know how to bring these to the attention of relevant authorities. Now I understand the different violations that need to be reported and the offices responsible for responding. When I return home, I will help monitor and report cases so that I can do my part in making sure all children are protected,” pledged Joan.
Armed with new knowledge, Joan’s determination reflected the broader impact of the initiative, which brought together members of the Community Technical Mechanisms for Early Warning operating in hotspot areas of Yambio.
Following an information session, participants explored practical ways to identify risks, document violations, and connect affected communities with protection actors.
For Baakia Charles Samuel from Naagori, the engagement was an additional push to become a champion for children's rights.
“Over the next three months, we will actively monitor and record violations affecting children in our communities. We will gather the necessary information and ensure it reaches the relevant authorities so that action can be taken,” affirmed the youth leader.
While many community members stand behind the imperative to protect children from harm, a lack of knowledge about established reporting channels continues to be a gap that UNMISS seeks to bridge by hosting such practical information sessions.
“Such interactions are helping us change the way our communities think about reporting. Many youth leaders, women leaders, and affected community members do not know where to seek help, so they lack the knowledge and confidence to report violations and access support,” emphasized Awad Jackson Masua, one of the members of the early warning mechanism.
But early warning mechanisms alone will not be sufficient to tackle persisting violations. Instead, they depend on strong partnerships between communities, local authorities, and security actors.
Addressing the participants, Njoki Kinyanjui, Head of the UN Peacekeeping mission’s Field Office in Yambio, underscored the importance of shared responsibility in building safer communities:
“Peace and security require a collective commitment. Our role as UNMISS is to work alongside your communities and authorities to strengthen local mechanisms and empower people to respond to challenges on the ground.”
For Joan, the training’s impact went beyond received information - it gave her a newfound sense of purpose:
“Children need protection. Now I know how to play my part.”
By Phillip Mbugo
