Enhancing the protective environment for individuals and communities affected by conflict and displacement in South Sudan. Given the ongoing protection crisis in South Sudan, DRC will continue to work with populations affected by conflict and displacement and other stakeholders, to enhance the protective environment of individuals and communities, and identify, prevent and address protection risks. The project objective is aligned with the Protection Cluster and HRP objective by providing immediate lifesaving assistance to address priority protection needs for the most vulnerable populations in hard-to-reach areas. The project will target a total of 7,285 IDPs, host communities and returnees, and will focus on three main components: Protection, analysis and advocacy. DRC will focus on protection data collection and analysis, for the purpose of ensuring an in-depth understanding of the protection environment, allowing for appropriate prevention and response activities. In parallel, DRC will ensure protection concerns are captured in protection information products, such as assessment reports, monitoring reports, and protection snapshots, allowing for appropriate and relevant advocacy with the clusters, humanitarian partners, and other main stakeholders. The initial assessments will be shared with the cluster within 72 hrs of return. DRC protection programming will ensure evidence-based interventions, at the individual and community levels, ensuring appropriate and principled action is taken to prevent and respond to protection risks. Protection risk prevention: DRC will continue to work closely with communities, particularly existing community structures, and vulnerable groups and individuals, to identify protection risks, coping strategies, community, and individual intentions, and resilience among the affected population, to ensure preparedness and resilience of communities and at-risk individuals are enhanced. DRC will work with community-based protection networks, facilitate focus group discussions, awareness raising, training on human rights, aiming to prevent and mitigate identified protection risks. Protection response: DRC provides timely, coordinated tailored and complimentary protection responses based on the identified protection needs. Protection will be central to all interventions which include service mapping, safe referrals, individual protection assistance for at-risk individuals, information sharing, and awareness raising on fundamental rights. DRC adopts an integrated approach, linking protection with other sectors including Shelter and Non-Food Items (SNFIs), Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) and Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM). DRC will continue to engage with other humanitarian partners and the relevant clusters and coordinating bodies to ensure proper coordination and aid effectiveness. DRC will put focus on the centrality of protection, ensuring the safety and dignity of persons of communities affected by displacement are prioritised and a do-no-harm approach is mainstreamed during all aspects of the project cycle. The IPMT will be managed by a Protection Manager, is composed of at least 50% female staff, and includes a Senior Protection Officer/team leader who oversees GP, GBV, and CP officers trained on PFA. If the protection team identifies needs beyond protection, a wider multi-sector assessment and response team could be deployed by DRC, through separate funding, with WASH and S/NFI response teams to provide immediate assistance to the most vulnerable and at-risk cases. Accountability to affected populations will be ensured through information dissemination activities to communities alongside beneficiary feedback sought during post-intervention monitoring. Complaints can also be fed through the DRC Hotline where all concerns will be logged and responded to in a timely manner.