WESTERN EQUATORIA - “Protecting civilians is our main duty as soldiers,” said Captain Apollo Choul, Commander of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) in Mundri west, a county in Western Equatoria state.
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Shoring up trust among civilians and uniformed actors is key to ensuring a peaceful, prosperous future for South Sudan, and ensuring those impacted by erstwhile civil wars can finally trace their steps homewards agreed participants at an UNMISS-led training in Western Equatoria. Photo by Martin Siba/UNMISS
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Some 50 police and prisons officers in Eastern Equatoria's greater Kapoeta region committed to upholding human rights standards as well as built their law enforcement capacities, thanks to an UNMISS-facilitated training. Photo by Okello James/UNMISS
![unmiss undp unhcr un women peace security constitution south sudan elections civic space consultations united nations un unpeacekeeping IDPs bentiu](https://unmiss.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/styles/380x220/public/field/image/d8f42330.jpg?itok=_3hgQC_O)
Civic education helmed by the UN family aims to galvanize public participation in key political processes in South Sudan, including the drafting of this young country's permanent constitution and upcoming elections. A joint two-day consultation led by UNMISS, UNHCR, UN Women and UNDP sought to hear from internally displaced persons, returnees, women, youth and persons with disabilities in Bentiu. Photo by Roseline Nzelle Nkwelle/UNMISS
UNITY - In 2011, South Sudan won its hard-fought independence from its northern neighbour, Sudan, but those hope-filled times were soon a distant memory as the world’s newest nation became embroiled in bloody, brutal civil wars.
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March 8 is annually marked as International Women’s Day across the globe. In Aweil, Northern Bahr El Ghazal, UNMISS celebrated this Day with traditional dances, discussions on equal rights for women and an exhibition of handicrafts. Photo by Emmanuel Kele/UNMISS
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Lots of rejoicing took place when UNMISS organized festive event under the theme The Revitalized Peace Agreement – Achievements, Challenges, and the Way Forward. Photos: James Sokiri/UNMISS
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At a recent free veterinary camp in Malakal, Upper Nile, UNMISS peacekeepers from India treated more than 1500 animals for a variety of diseases and raised awareness on sustainable animal rearing practices among livestock owners. Photo by Samuel Adwok Deng/UNMISS
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As the peace process in South Sudan begins to ramp up, those who fled the civil wars of the past decade are slowly returning to their original settlements. However, rebuilding lives irrevocably altered by violence isn't easy, as a visiting UNMISS patrol to Morobo, Central Equatoria, discovered. Photo by James Sokiri/UNMISS
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On the margins of International Women's Day, dedicated UNMISS peacekeepers from Mongolia sensitized some 50 women and girls in Pariang, South Sudan, on health and hygiene.