nlp-thedeep/humsetbias huggingface dataset:
The direct and indirect impact of COVID 19 and related pressure put on markets and the movement of goods; an upsurge in sub national violence, especially in Jonglei; desert locust invasions in the east of the country; recurring flooding in areas still recovering from the 2019 floods; a protracted macro economic crisis; higher food prices; and a devaluating local currency are all threatening the food security of people.
Access to naturally grown shelter materials has continued to be a challenge due to recurrent sub national and localized violence, compounded by seasonal flooding, particularly in Jonglei, Unity and Upper Niles states.
At the time of writing, approximately 1.65 million women, men, girls, boys and older persons live with inadequate shelter and NFIs. Without shelter or having a strong social support network, women and children are especially vulnerable due to their roles in society and their health, wellbeing, safety and security are at risk.
South Sudan's school aged population, aged between 3 and 17, reached 5.3 million in 2020. The increase is challenging the provision of education particularly in areas that may also experience an influx of displaced people or returnees when conflict eventually subsides. There are also a number of key supply side barriers to education such as the lack of qualified teachers; a damaged education infrastructure; overcrowded classrooms; inconsistencies in the provision of teacher incentives; a shortage of learning materials; poor sanitation and water facilities in schools; the long distance a child needs to travel to school; and little to no support services in schools for children with disabilities.
In South Sudan, 17 per cent of primary schools do not have access to drinking water while 31 per cent do not have functional latrines. The lack of latrines and/or dignified sanitation facilities to be used as changing rooms during menstrual period discourages adolescent girls from coming to schools hence contributing to absenteeism and school dropout.
A total of 2,531,060 people were reached with hygiene promotion and COVID 19 prevention and control messages on a weekly basis in IDP camps/  ( PoCs )  /refugee settlements, communities and other public places
From January to December 2020, the WASH programme provided safe water, basic sanitation and hygiene services to the vulnerable and affected individuals in host communities, protection of civilian sites  ( PoCs )  and internally displaced people  ( IDPs )  in collective sites.
Based on the 2020 GBV Information Management System data analysis, 29 per cent of GBV survivors in need of safe house did not obtain the service because of lack of safe houses.
Increased risk of GBV coupled with gaps in response services necessitates an urgent need for strengthened primary GBV prevention, integration of GBV risk mitigation in other sectors, and scaling up GBV response services. Provision of safe housing, dignity kits and livelihood support continue to be a high priority
Flooding, armed conflict in pockets of areas, sub national violence and COVID 19 are escalating the risk of GBV including ConflictRelated Sexual Violence  ( CRSV )  and sexual exploitation and abuse. The condition also compounded reduced access to sexual and reproductive health services for women and girls
Economic pressures from COVID 19 have forced some families to rely on negative coping mechanisms, including child labor and early marriage
Children continue to face a multitude of risks, including abduction, GBV and other forms of violence, recruitment into armed groups and separation from families. These risks are further challenged by COVID 19 with reduced access to schools and the disruption of environments where children grow and develop
Protection was the sixth commonly cited form of priority assistance needed for men, women and children, as reported by three to eight per cent of assessed settlements across South Sudan in October 2020. Insecurity was also cited as a key challenge in both male and female FGDs held in October 2020. All issues, covering five Protection Cluster's areas of responsibility have been mentioned – general protection, GBV and CP  ( including cross cutting issues ) , HLP and Mine Action.
People With Disabilities are often stigmatized, marginalized, excluded and left unable to access the support needed to live in dignity as equal members of society.
In 23 out of 78 counties, over 60 per cent of households surveyed reported protection concerns in their area in the past three months. In 15 counties, more than 60 civilians per 100,000 population were killed or injured by violence or other shocks in 2020.
Disaggregated data collection and analysis of armed incidents indicate that violence continues to affect civilians across the country. Sub national organized violence has increased during the first six months of 2020 as compared to the same period in 2019, most notably in Lakes, Warrap and greater Jonglei region
Strengthening of the inter sectoral approach and collaboration appear as a critical need. ( 2020 )
Malnutrition causalities in South Sudan are persistent, adversely affect women and children and require an integrated multi layered solution. The key drivers of malnutrition in the country relate to a number of sectors such as food security and livelihood; water, sanitation and hygiene; health and protection.
According to the FSNMS  ( Food Security and Nutrition Monitoring System )  conducted in 2019 Round 25/ 26, 52.6 per cent of household are acutely food insecure while only 36 per cent of households reported having access to an improved water source in under 30 minutes without facing any protection concerns. The morbidity rate is high among under five children, reaching 10 per cent and 36 per cent of children with diarrhoea and fever, respectively.
According to the IPC Acute Food Insecurity and Acute Malnutrition Analysis for December 2020, an estimated 6.35 million people  ( 52.6% of the population )  faced Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  or worse acute food insecurity, of which 2.1 million people faced Emergency  ( IPC Phase 4 )  acute food insecurity. During the same period 4,000 people were likely in Catastrophe  ( IPC Phase 5 )  acute food insecurity, out of which 11,000 were in Pibor Administration Area, and 13,000 were in Tonj North County in Warrap state.
The COVID 19 situation, sub national violence and floods that led to population displacement, coupled with a decrease in coverage/uptake of nutrition services exacerbated the nutrition situation.
The prevalence of GAM among children under five was standing at a very high level of 16.2 per cent, according to the latest, lean season FSNMS  ( Food Security and Nutrition Monitoring System )  survey conducted in 2019.
Returnees face challenges in accessing health services in return locations as often they return to areas where the health services are already limited and often stretched.
Specialized mental health services are scarce and limited to a few urban areas like Juba and the disruption in accessing medication and treatment aggravated the already poor health condition of people with mental disorders.
Over 76 per cent of the people affected by the flooding are in Jonglei, Lakes and Unity states. In most instances entire communities have fled to higher ground to escape the rising waters and approximately 368,000 people are currently displaced.
CCS Cluster : 26% that is 25m required, 6m funded, 18m unmet.  [ 2020 HRP FUNDING  ( end September 2020 )  ]
The Logistics Cluster continues to advocate partners for prepositioning humanitarian assistance items ahead of the rainy season starting in April/May, when roads are mostly accessible.
Data on the damage ratio, defined as the number of collapsed shelters and shelters in danger of collapse over the total number of IDP and returnee shelters, was collected for 1,752 IDP settlements, including 84.6 per cent of IDPs, and 1,900 returnee settlements, accounting for 96.4 per cent of returnees. Among the locations for which a damage ratio could be computed, 15.7 per cent of IDPs, or 187,963 individuals, and 19.9 per cent of returnees, or 263,836 individuals, live in settlements with over 50 per cent of collapsed shelters or shelters in danger of collapse. This includes 11.4 per cent of IDPs and 14 per cent of returnees living in settlements where over 75 per cent of shelters are collapsed or in danger of collapse. IDPs and returnees living in smaller and urban settlements tend to face higher damage ratios
The most affected states are Western Bahr El Ghazal, with 47 per cent of IDPs  ( 32,718 individuals )  and 34.8 per cent of returnees  ( 70,160 individuals )  living in settlements where the majority of shelters is collapsed or in danger of collapse, and Jonglei, with 30.9 per cent of IDPs  ( 60,305 individuals )  and 33.7 per cent of returnees  ( 59,769 individuals ) . Over 30% of IDPs in Western Equatoria  ( 30.5%, or 17,285 individuals )  and returnees in Unity  ( 30.6%, or 45,150 )  also live in such settlements
At the county level, in Mundri East  ( Western Equatoria ) , Mayom  ( Unity ) , Bor South and Akobo  ( both Jonglei )  over 40 per cent of IDPs/returnees and at least 5,000 individuals live in settlements with over 50 per cent of collapsed shelters or shelters in danger of collapse. In addition, the same applies to IDPs only in Wau  ( Western Bahr El Ghazal ) , Nyirol and Pibor  ( both Jonglei )  and to returnees in Leer  ( Unity )
Strengthening government institutions and transparency are priority prerequisites to improving the business climate. It is worth noting that businesses in South Sudan view far more basic constraints as being most important to their operations: insecurity, poor roads, limited access to funding, and low consumer demand related to inflation.
The most needed NFIs among IDPs and returnees are emergency shelter kits  ( 62.5% of IDPs, or 746,379 individuals, and 65.6% of returnees, or 871,448 individuals ) , kitchen kits  ( 61.7% of IDPs, or 736,790, and 63.2% of returnees, or 839,331 individuals )  and mosquito nets  ( 60.1% of IDPs, or 718,228 individuals, and 58.3% of returnees, or 773,487 individuals ) .
5 October 2020   Schools re open in South Sudan under the Phase 1 plan for Primary 8 and Senior 4.
The number of aid workers killed increased threefold from 2019 to nine and brought the number of humanitarians killed since 2013 to 124.
Urban and peri urban IDP and returnee settlements, according to the GHSL urban classification, report higher proportions of collapsed shelters and shelters in danger of collapsing, while rural settlements fare worse in terms of access to a local market selling NFIs. A higher proportion of IDPs in large camps lives in settlements with access to a NFI market, as compared to IDPs in other types of settlements.
In January 2021, livestock support on going across the six counties with FSL cluster members reached: 339,216 animals vaccinated, 87,365 animals treated, and a total of 10,857 households directly benefited.
Invest in humanitarian hubs in deep field locations with sufficient security, warehouses, accommodation facilities, internet services, washing services and food for minimal recovery charges, to allow humanitarians to stay and deliver during conflict and flood
Flood preparedness  ( rainy season )  : Disseminate information on local weather changes, alert communities of potential disruptive events
Flood preparedness  ( rainy season )  : Train communities on climate change and the impact is having on them
Flood preparedness  ( rainy season )  : Advocate with the government to put aside funding to support first responders' initiatives
Poor road infrastructure is one of the main challenges for people in need to access to life saving assistance and services as well for the humanitarian organizations to reach the people. It causes delays and adds substantial extra costs.
The Logistics Cluster team coordinated, for the first time since its activation in 2011, a river movement from Juba to Bor, transporting over 160 mt of life saving cargo. The service was established in response to the current flooding emergency that has made the Juba – Bor road inaccessible.
Flood preparedness  ( rainy season ) : Advocate for national government or state policies for disaster risk reduction
Conflict preparedness  ( dry season )  : Ensure NGO safety focal points' presence in response locations, working with UNDSS guidance
The absence, presence or placement of WASH facilities is a driver of population movement and conflict over land and property in some areas, and requires careful management to ensure a conflict sensitive approach that strengthens social cohesion.
UNICEF Response: A total of 24,161 children were vaccinated against measles, 26,338 children were vaccinated against polio, 9,734 children were screened for malnutrition, out of whom 317 children were found to be suffering from severe acute malnutrition  ( SAM )  and were treated in inpatient and outpatient therapeutic programs
Conflict preparedness  ( dry season )  : Engage with local authorities and communities, state and national governments, and protection partners for high level advocacy and dialogue
Conflict preparedness  ( dry season )  • Monitor and ensure early warning system to alert communities and partners when conflict looms
Due to lack of food and parenting capacity to provided child's basic needs, many children have been reported to leave camp and went to Paloich to find job where CP  (  Children Protection  )  risk are high and/or work in a market in camps.  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ] |
Sexual violence was commonly reported as a protection concern for girls at beginning of the second quarter, reported by 17% assessed settlements in April across Warrap state. At the county level, sexual violence was particularly a protection concern for girls in Twic  ( 33% ) , Tonj South  ( 18% )  and Tonj North  ( 15% )  in April. As for women, sexual violence was reported by 24% of assessed settlements in April in Twic County, with proportions remaining comparable throughout the rest of the quarter.
A total of 2,217 people  ( 529 girls, 480 boys, 716 women and 492 men )  were reached with awareness raising messages on GBV and COVID 19. In addition, a radio live show for community members in Northern Bahr El Gazal was organised to discuss key actions that will be implemented for positive social norms transformation and to create awareness on child marriages and the consequences this harmful practice has on girls and communities. In Aweil,136 women and 42 girls were identified and enrolled in the skills building programme and 140 girls from 3 schools received sanitary pads and basic hygiene supplies.  ( UNICEF and Implementing partners )
During the same period, infant and young child feeding counselling services reached a total of 1,190,166 pregnant women and caregivers of children 0 23 months  ( 100 per cent of the target ) . The nutrition programme activities have been ongoing in all states as per the adapted guidelines for nutrition services delivery in the context of COVID 19.
The performance indicators for SAM treatment for children were above the acceptable minimum Sphere standards, with a cure rate of 94.7 per cent, death rate of 0.3 and defaulter rate of 3.7 per cent.
In addition, 366,036 people were reached through megaphone walks in the communities and other strategic locations like markets, street corners etc. A total of 581community mobilizers and 369 community influencers  ( Religious, youth and community leaders )  were oriented on COVID 19 risk communication.
Through partnerships with 40 radio stations, a total of 8,166 radio jingles on COVID 19 were broadcasted in 10 widely spoken languages in the country and 125 talk shows focusing on COVID 19 and its impact were held. Communication materials focusing on signs and symptoms of COVID 19, prevention and proper use of facemasks were printed, and distribution is ongoing to partners in all the 10 states. During the reporting period, a total of 15,500 posters, 1,200 banners, 175,000 fliers were distributed. A total of 64 rumors were collected through daily reporting and all the rumors were tracked and responded to within 72 hours
UNICEF Response: Risk communication and community engagement interventions are being implemented to mitigate the spread of COVID19 in all the 10 states. During the reporting period, a total of 546,931 people  ( 321,440 female and 225,492 males )  were reached with COVID 19 key mitigation messages through house to house visits by community mobilizers.
UNICEF Response: Through the process, local vendors were identified as an opportunity to support local traders and markets. Discussions were also finalized between UNICEF and WFP on the use of the SCOPE platform for beneficiary identification and data management. Furthermore, UNICEF was one of the lead agencies to develop the UN's socio economic response plan for COVID19, which includes a focus on social protection safety nets through cash transfers for vulnerable households; and continued actively supporting linkages between the National Social Protection Working Group  ( NSPWG )  and the inter agency Cash Working Group. In an effort to expand its overall cash programmes, UNICEF is preparing long term agreements  ( LTAs )  with financial service providers  ( FSPs ) .
UNICEF Response: A total of 12,006 children were reached with critical child protection services including, 18 children who were registered as unaccompanied or separated children.
UNICEF Response: Through the support of the Child Protection Area of Responsibility partners, a total of 40,855 people including 14,947 girls & 11,541 boys received a range of child protection services. The number of people reached includes 821 at risk children who were provided with individual case management services and follow up support. In addition, 9 children  ( 1 girl and 8 boys )  were released from armed forces and placed in alternative or group care. Furthermore, a total of 13,228 children  ( 8153 girls and 5,075 boys ) , benefited from PSS to improve their psychosocial wellbeing through different community structures, including in child friendly spaces.
Women and Girls Friendly Spaces  ( WGFS )  continued to provide services such as case management, psychosocial support  ( PSS ) , skills building courses and referrals for other specialized services for women and girls. A total of 332 women, 1 man and 47 girls received specialised and non specialised GBV services. A total of 201 people  ( 161 women and 40 girls )  completed the skills building course on tailoring and beads making in Yei and will graduate in October. In addition, 942 people  ( 332 girls, 21 boys, 482 women and 107 men )  were reached with awareness raising messages on genderbased violence  ( GBV ) , COVID 19 and the GBV services available, through the use of IEC materials, home visits, discussions with communities and at WGFS.
UNICEF Response: A total of 2,444,076 people have been reached with hygiene promotion and COVID 19 prevention and control messages on a weekly basis in IDP camps/  ( PoCs )  /refugee settlements, communities and other public places. A total of 359 hand washing facilities were set up in communities and health facilities. In addition, over 81,000 people received locally made cloth masks. Through the WASH Cluster, a total of 48,688 children who were admitted for SAM treatment were discharged with a WASH/Hygiene kit. A total of 1,660,184 people were reached with access to safe water through the traditional Humanitarian Response Plan  ( HRP )  programmes and 71,731 people were reached through COVID 19. A total of 421,539 people were provided with access to improved, secured and gender appropriate sanitation facilities. In addition, 2,196,525 people were reached through hygiene promotion messages.
In response to the risk of COVID 19 by UNICEF, a total of 731,574 people have been reached with critical WASH supplies which include soap, buckets and water purification tablets, to reduce the risk of COVID 19 transmission. In addition, 102 health facilities are being supported with Infection Prevention and Control  ( IPC )  services. So far triage and screening areas have been set up in 34 health facilities. A total of 74 health facilities have been provided with Personal Protective Equipment  ( PPE )  and 526 health workers have been trained on IPC measures.
From January to September 2020 the WASH programme provided critical life saving interventions through the provision of access to safe water, basic sanitation and hygiene services to the vulnerable and affected host communities in PoCs and Internally displaced people  ( IDPs )  in collective sites By UNICEF. A total of 266,021 individuals have so far been provided with access to safe drinking water through water trucking, construction of new and the rehabilitation of non functional water points.
To strengthen MoGEI's  (  Ministry of General Education and Instructions )  capacity in sector management and planning, UNICEF supported the execution of the second General Education Annual Review  ( GEAR )  as a key strategy to assess how the education sector is progressing, against the General Education Strategic Plan  ( GESP )  priorities and targets.
During the reporting month, UNICEF and partners provided curative consultations to a total of 157,501 individuals  ( 71,023 males; 86,478 females and 67,055 children under the age of 5 ) . This brings the cumulative total consultations for the period January   September 2020 to 1,381,194, out of which 597,387 were children under 5  ( 287,479 males and 309,908 females ) . Most children and women seen during consultations were for the treatment of malaria  ( 31 per cent ) , followed by acute respiratory infections  ( 15 per cent )  and diarrhea  ( 10 per cent ) .
Rapid needs assessments have now been completed in the majority of the 37 counties affected by flooding.
At the county level, assessed settlements reported early marriage was a protection concern for girls in Tonj North  ( 32% ) , Tonj South  ( 55% )  and Tonj East  ( 25% ) , Gogrial West  ( 33% ) , and Gogrial East  ( 31% )  counties. While teenage marriages are common in the state, the COVID 19 pandemic may have created conditions for vulnerable families to marry off their daughters at early age in exchange for dowry to address their immediate basic needs.
Of concern was Tonj East County, with a high proportion of assessed settlements reporting incidents of property looting throughout the second quarter, between April  ( 63% )  and June  ( 60% ) , with a considerable increase in July  ( 80% ) , before reducing to 50% in September. This increase in looting may be connected to the reported looting in Romich Town, Tonj East County following armed confrontation in August between the military and armed civilians during a disarmament campaign in which an estimated 81 people were killed.
Top 3 most commonly reported protection concerns in assessed settlements in April 2020:  Women  Domestic violence: 18% , Looting: 17%, Sexual violence: 10% Men  Being killed or injured: 25%, Harassment and restrictions: 12%, Cattle raiding: 9% Girls  Early marriage: 23%, Sexual violence: 17%, Looting:6% Boys  Being killed or injured: 21%, Looting: 10%, Family separation: 8%
In Twic County, a relatively high proportion of assessed settlements reported being killed or injured as the main protection concern for men  ( 58% ) , boys  ( 58% ) , women  ( 44% )  and girls  ( 44% )  in September
In Twic County, the proportion of assessed settlements reporting incidents of conflict that resulted in the killing of at least one civilian remained consistent between April  ( 33% )  and May  ( 32% ) . This increase in assessed settlements reporting at least one fatal incident resulting from conflict may be due to attacks such as the incident reported in April in which seven people were reportedly killed in Twic County by unidentified gunmen. AoK data indicates a continuation of such incidents in the third quarter, with 36% of assessed settlements reporting an incident of conflict, which resulted in the death of at least one civilian in September, comparable to 33% reported in July.
Conflict presented a protection concern during the third quarter with reports of killings of civilians across the state. In Gogrial East County, the proportion of assessed settlements reporting an incident of conflict that resulted in the killing of at least one civilian increased from 19% in April to 50% May.
However, according FEWS NET, the situation has likely deteriorated in June and the population may be facing acute food insecurity  ( IPC phase 4 )  in Tonj South County. Furthermore, one third  ( 33% )  of assessed settlements reported market purchase as one of the main food source in Tonj South in September, likely due to proximity of Tonj South to Wau Town  ( Western Bahr el Ghazal ) , which is the largest commercial hub in the region. However, poor market access due to distance in some parts of the county  ( except in Tonj and Thiet towns )  and high food prices will likely limit market purchased food in the rest the county.
Despite the effects of displacement and conflict shocks, WFP reported a surplus of cereals production of 8,654 metric tons. This cereals surplus is likely a result of seasonal harvest in the more stable areas that engaged in cultivation, with 60% of assessed settlements reporting cultivation as their source of food in September.  [ Tonj South and North counties ]
The lack of road infrastructure makes the supply chain in South Sudan extremely expensive, not only for humanitarian operations but also for the private sector. Poor roads and the lack of market infrastructure are some of the reasons due to which South Sudan ranks 185 out of 190 economies in the Doing Business 2019 report.
New health related WASH needs arose in 2020 because of COVID 19 and will persist into 2021 as a vaccination campaign is not expected to reach enough people soon, implying a greater need for functional hand washing facilities in areas of high density such as the urban areas and PoC/IDP settlements.
There are protection concerns related to WASH. Women and girls who are traditionally responsible for water collection face an increased risk of harassment, assault and sexual violence when collecting water far from their homes.
The number of reported cases of acute watery diarrhoea and acute bloody diarrhoea have spiked dramatically in 2020. By the end of October, 593,000 acute watery diarrhoea cases were reported, a 60 per cent increase compared to 2019. Note that here, the 60 per cent increase should be higher as 2020 is not over yet, but the increase is already very sharp. It is likely to be the result of a combined lack of access to safe water and poor hygiene conditions due to the low funding status of the cluster in 2020
Poor access to WASH services combined with high levels of food insecurity continue to have a detrimental impact on the health of children, as seen through the high prevalence of malnutrition and water borne diseases. Counties reporting high GAM rates have also high WASH needs
Water availability in all refugee camps and settlements is above the SPHERE minimum standards at an average of 17.31 litres per person per day but water system operations and maintenance require continuous attention and support.
Around 15 per cent of households have at least one disabled family member. After years of conflict, many civilians have a disability after being maimed, or had an amputation, damaged or destroyed sight and hearing and other impairments.
The highest proportion of households relying on surface water were found in Upper Nile, with 66 per cent, followed by Jonglei with 43 per cent and Central Equatoria with 41 per cent. The quantity of water available per day is also below standards in many locations, with 17 per cent of people unable to collect enough water for drinking, and 39 per cent of people reporting insufficient access to water for hand washing.
Only 36 per cent of households reported having access to an improved water source in under 30 minutes without facing any protection concerns. The remaining 64 per cent of people across the country either rely on unimproved or surface water sources  ( 41 per cent ) , take more than 30 minutes to reach an improved water source  ( 19 per cent ) , or are able to reach an improved source in less than 30 minutes but face protection concerns while accessing the water  ( 4 per cent )
In an effort to expand its overall cash programmes, UNICEF finalized long term agreement  ( LTAs )  with financial service providers  ( FSPs ) , and integrated UNICEF prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse  ( PSEA )  procedures, in the capacity assessments of the FSPs. The process of establishing LTAs with mobile money operators was also initiated during the year. During the reporting year UNICEF commenced the implementation of the WASH sector voucher project focusing on the provision of hygiene materials in response to the COVID 19 pandemic.
Through the support of the WASH Cluster partners a total of 49,354 children who were admitted for SAM treatment in outpatient therapeutic programmes  ( OTPs )  and stabilization centres  ( SC )  were discharged with WASH/Hygiene Kits. In addition, over 2,273,000 people were provided with access to safe water.
Unusually high food prices affected 15.4 percent of households in Eastern Equatoria, 10.5 percent in Unity, 21.9 percent in Western Bahr el Ghazal and 12.2 percent in Western Equatoria while the incidence of insecurity/violence was reported by 13.6 percent of households in Lakes State and 9.6 percent in Western Bahr el Ghazal. The combined impact of these shocks resulted in reduced availability of own produced food stocks, loss of income opportunities as well as lower purchasing power which contributed to the prevalence of food insecurity.
In Kapoeta North, 53% of the house holds recieved no Humanitarian aid three months prior to the data collection as reported by KI'S.
A total of 108,002 children  ( 58,159 boys and 49,843 girls )  were provided with psychosocial Support, 15,760 children received case management services and 983 unaccompanied and separated children  (  582 boys and 401 girls )  were provided with family tracing and reunification services and 180 children were released from detention as a measure to curb the spread of COVID 19. In addition, 501,370 people  ( 231,520 adults and 269,850 children ) , received awareness raising messages on child protection issues .
UNICEF, in collaboration with UNMISS, the National Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration  ( DDR )  Commission and partners, successfully released 44 children  ( 2 girls and 42 boys )  associated with armed groups and a total of 12 children  ( 10 boys and 2 girls )  were newly identified, registered and documented as unaccompanied and separated children  ( UASC )  .
In South Sudan, 19.33 million m² of land is suspected of being contaminated with landmine and explosive remnants of war  ( ERW ) . The highest level of contamination is predominantly located in the Equatorias, along the main routes and areas for returnees from Uganda.
Access to housing, land, and property  ( HLP ) , an important issue during the years of conflict, is now critical as people are further displaced, the population grows, PoC sites start to transition and South Sudanese refugees return.
While 28.3 percent of households did not use any livelihood based coping strategies, 42.2 percent of households used emergency coping strategies with 17.2 percent resorting to crisis coping strategies. As compared to August 2018, the proportion of households which adopted emergency coping strategies has reduced by 26.6 percent while the proportion of households using crisis coping strategies have increase by 10.1 percent.
A total of 33,538 beneficiaries  ( 6,362 girls, 7,017 boys, 10,516 women and 9,643 men )  benefited from GBV risk mitigation interventions through UNICEF  Child protection supported programmes during the year.
Given that Housing, land and property  ( HLP )  rights continue to be a growing key protection issue across South Sudan, an estimated 1.5 million will be affected by HLP issues in 2021, in addition 743,000 children are indirectly affected of HLP issues.
A total of 545 unaccompanied and separated children  ( 286 boys and 259 girls )  were registered across the country of which, 59 children  ( 34 boys and 25 girls )  were reunified with their primary caregiver or preferred guardian by UNICEF and partners.
The continuous conflict dynamics and natural disasters perpetuated women's vulnerability and exposure to GBV. As such, many women and girls stay in the PoC sites, transitioned to the IDP camps because of concerns about sexual violence and other forms of GBV. Formal and customary laws on marriage, land and property rights, among other support discrimination against women and afford them few legal rights.
UNICEF also supported the capacity gap assessment of Community Education Centres  ( CECs )  and National Teacher Training Institutes  ( NTTIs ) . This was completed as a strategic step to institutionalize teacher training, school supervision and sustained follow up of teacher training graduates.
In 2020, UNICEF supported 248,456 children and young people  ( 144,104 boys and 104,352 girls )  to enrol and benefit from essential education services for pre primary, primary,  ( formal and through accelerated learning )  and secondary education.
High level of stress, loss of friends and family members are also taking a toll on mental health and emotional development of children, further exacerbated by the COVID 19 outbreak.
Realization of durable solutions for South Sudanese displaced people will be of importance in 2021 and the Protection Cluster will continue to advocate at the higher levels to ensure that the draft South Sudan Bill on Protection and Assistance to Internally Displaced Persons is reviewed by the Ministry of Justice and adopted
Key informants in three out of four of these settlements reported that people commonly think the assistance received was of the type most needed. (  2020 )
In Kapoeta South, around 71% of households that not recieved any humanitarian aid in the last three months before the data collection as reported by KIs
It is likely that many schools will struggle to reopen, given that most teachers have not been paid in a long time. The rate of return is also likely to be lower for girls.  ( 2020 )
Some 2.4 million children are out of school in 2020. The majority of them are girls. Children in rural areas and IDP, refugee and returnee children are most vulnerable. About 60 per cent of IDPs and returnees live in settlements where no more than half of the children are attending primary education, mainly in Lakes, Western Equatoria, Jonglei, Unity, Lakes, and Northern Bahr el Ghazal. Kapoeta North County is among the worst affected, with all surveyed key informants reporting gaps in education. The situation further worsened countrywide with the temporary closure of schools due to COVID 19, disrupting education and limiting children's access to essential services like school feeding programmes, information on disease prevention and access to water and sanitation.
UNMISS conducted 13 workshops, community dialogues, peace campaigns and actions to disseminate local and national peace agreements, along with capacity   building activities for traditional authorities, women and young people, reaching a total of 2,700 participants, including 1,267 women. Those initiatives were scaled down owing to a nationwide ban on public gatherings owing to COVID 19.
Having to defecate in the open undermines the dignity and safety of women, children and people living with disabilities, and poses them to high risk of violence and discrimination. Four in five IDPs and returnees live in settlements with evidence of open defecation.The limited access to WASH services impacts people across all population groups, but the needs are the most severe among the newly displaced population, and in areas hosting recently returned refugees and IDPs.
A total of 24 ambushes were reported in the first quarter of 2020, compared with 15 incidents during the same period in 2019. In Pibor, one aid worker was killed by unknown armed young people in February. On 16 May, 3 humanitarian workers were killed in Jonglei, bringing the number of aid workers killed in South Sudan since the conflict began in 2013 to 119. The vast majority of those killed were South Sudanese.
An assessment conducted before the 2020 flooding found that overall, some 40 per cent of IDPs and half of returnees live in settlements where the main water source is over 20 minutes away on foot, while about a third of IDPs and returnees live in settlements reporting water unfit for human consumption. Additionally, 20 per cent of IDPs and 28 per cent of returnees live in settlements where people feel unsafe when they go to collect water, highlighting the protection risks especially for women and girls who experience harassment, assault and sexual violence while collecting water far from their homes
Overall, almost 4 million people remained displaced, driven mainly by years of conflict, intercommunal violence, food insecurity and recent natural hazards, such as floods. That number included close to 1.7 million internally displaced persons. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees  ( UNHCR ) , 2.2 million South Sudanese remained displaced as refugees in six neighbouring countries. However, 49,000 South Sudanese refugees spontaneously returned between January and April. In parallel, during the same period, more than 17,000 people fled South Sudan, mainly to Uganda, the Sudan, and Ethiopia, to seek asylum
According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 36,000 persons were internally displaced by communal violence, cattle raiding and fighting between armed groups in the first three months of 2020. Clashes between NAS, the South Sudan Peoples' Defence Forces and SPLM/A IO, along with intercommunal violence in Central Equatoria, affected over 30,000 people and displaced more than 19,100. Military operations in Central Equatoria disrupted humanitarian operations and access to affected populations.
A spike in intercommunal fighting, cattle raiding and revenge attacks between armed youth groups has caused civilian displacement and casualties in Central Equatoria, Jonglei, the greater Pibor area, Lakes, Unity, Western Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap and led to the suspension of humanitarian services in affected areas.
Infection prevention measures that limit movement and curtail economic activities exacerbate threats to food security and livelihoods in a country where 6 million people were already acutely food insecure between February and April, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. An additional 500,000 people are expected to be acutely food insecure in the coming months, and increases are likely owing to the impact of COVID 19.
With school closures, over 2 million school age children enrolled in formal and non formal institutions have not been able to attend school regularly, in addition to the approximately 2.4 million children estimated to be out of school in 2020. The school closures have also limited the access of parents to essential services, such as school feeding and health and nutrition programmes.
South Sudan continues to be gripped by a serious humanitarian crisis. The cumulative effect of prolonged conflict, chronic vulnerabilities and weak essential services compounded by emerging health risks have left some 7.5 million people in need, while hunger threatens over half of the population.
In Warrap and Lakes, violent incidents occurred among Dinka communities, typically resulting from land ownership claims, disputes over grazing lands and a culture of revenge. In addition, cross border attacks by Bul Nuer actors from Unity into Warrap occurred in April and May, resulting in dozens of deaths and looting of cattle. In the same period, an uptick in intra Nuer violence was also observed in Unity.
Violence and flooding destroyed or damaged existing health facilities in 2020, worsening people's already poor access to essential health services
The cross border conflict between armed cattle keepers from Tonj and farmers from the Jur River area led to tensions between the South Sudan Peoples' Defence Forces, which supported the cattle keepers, and SPLM/A IO, which provided protection to the local farmers. Tensions also emerged when SPLM/A IO prevented cattle keepers from accessing drinking water in Kuajena and issued an ultimatum for them to leave.
Efforts to implement the Rome declaration faced challenges, as clashes escalated between the National Salvation Front  ( NAS )  and an alliance between the South Sudan Peoples' Defence Forces and SPLM/A IO. At least 14 clashes occurred in Central Equatoria, with both sides trading blame for violating the declaration.
Falling global crude oil prices and the COVID 19 pandemic negatively affected the economy, resulting in the International Monetary Fund revising the gross domestic product growth rate for 2020 from 8.2 per cent to 4.9 per cent. The loss in revenue is expected to create new challenges with regard to funds available for the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement.
According to the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism, conditions in cantonment and training sites remained dire, with a lack of basic resources, which led to large numbers of troops leaving the sites.
In the official IPC report issued by the government in December 2020, Akobo, Aweil South, Pibor and Tonj North counties have pockets of populations in Catastrophe  ( IPC Phase 5 )  acute food insecurity at one or more periods between the end of 2020 and mid 2021. Differing to the IPC official release, the IPC Global Support Unit released two reports from the Famine Review Committee, classifying parts of Pibor County as ‘Famine Likely' and indicating a likelihood of populations in Catastrophe  ( IPC Phase 5 )  acute food insecurity in Akobo, Aweil South, Tonj East, Tonj North and Tonj South
According to the IPC64, people's acute food insecurity situation has been worsening over the past two years, from an estimated 6.35 million people in Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  or worse acute food insecurity during the 2019 lean season to 7.24 million people in the same conditions by the 2021 lean season.
Less than half of the South Sudanese population has been vaccinated against common diseases, which has resulted in continued outbreaks of measles since 2019 and throughout 2020.
The following summarizes the main issues to consider:  ( i )  disputes and conflicts compounded by additional competition over natural resources;  ( ii )  diminished livelihoods and safety nets due to restrictions to traditional migration patterns of pastoralist communities; and  ( iii )  increased deforestation, disputes and gendered risks of accessing cooking fuel. Thus, natural resources management activities aim to maintain equitable access to natural resources within the context of COVID 19 by supporting existing peace structures and partners to address and manage competition over natural resources and increase energy sufficiency and forest conservation.
In Magwi, 80% of households had not recieved humanitarian aid in the three months prior to the data collection as reported by the KIs
Furthermore, the pandemic may deepen the vulnerability of women to GBV, especially domestic violence, because of lockdown measures and heightened market prices. Some women may resort to negative coping strategies to meet their basic needs. Unfortunately, existing analysis on gender disaggregated data, to ascertain the impact of COVID 19 on gender and food security, remains limited.
Out of the 7.5 million people in need of assistance in 2020, approximately 254,000 people lived in counties with high access constraints, including some 215,000 targeted with assistance. This represents over 200 per cent increase from 65,000 people targeted in areas with high access constraints in 2019
Furthermore, FAO will continue to support existing educational programmes in order to help provide radio education while schools are closed. FAO will begin radio programming in for example Rumbek, adding/adapting a COVID 19 element to help cattle keepers linked to pastoral livelihoods education field schools  ( PLEFS )  deal with the disease and potential economic fallout. Finally, and in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization  ( UNESCO ) , FAO is exploring the possibility of expanding educational radio shows to other areas of the country, not currently covered by the in person field schools
The COVID 19 pandemic has worsened the mental health situation for the population and constrained the availability of already limited mental health services in particular for persons with pre existing mental health problems.
Pastures were flooded and animals died of starvation. Moreover, the flooding created was conducive to outbreaks of priority diseases. These areas face heightened COVID 19 vulnerability.
Increased Head of Household income from vegetable selling. For example, majority of women residing near water points are actively involved in vegetable growing for home consumption and household income which supports their socio economic needs such as paying for medical bills, buying home based necessities, schools fees and scholastic materials for their school going children, improved nutrition for children as well as pregnant and lactating mothers, and other household needs.
Restrictive COVID 19 measures are therefore likely to particularly impact women and women headed households. This exacerbates a situation in which women are generally already affected by prevailing traditional gender norms and practices, such as early and forced marriage, and other gender based challenges, such as denied mobility, limited access to productive resources, burdens of unpaid reproductive care work, and high illiteracy levels.
The shocks caused by COVID 19 to local markets in South Sudan have further highlighted the vulnerability of urban populations, who rely on these markets for their food security. Consequently, an estimated 1.125 million people in South Sudan, representing 70 percent of the urban poor who are not being supported by any humanitarian assistance programmes, are likely to be in severe acute food insecurity during the lean season of May to July 2020. . Additionally, an estimated 313 000 rural people that are highly dependent on markets for food and income are likely to become severely food insecure during the same period.
Armed conflict, sub national organized violence, COVID 19 restrictions and flooding have exacerbated the already extreme levels of GBV. Over 6,000 GBV incidents were recorded between January and September 2020. Nearly all, or 97 per cent of the reported GBV incident survivors, were female. A fifth of survivors were less than 18 years old. Intimate partners accounted for more than half of the alleged perpetrators
Men constituted the majority of civilian victims of violence, particularly during the first half of the year. Most of them were killed or injured during incidents of sub national violence, while the others were abducted for forced labour and/or military recruitment. Women were primarily subjected to conflict related sexual violence, killing and abduction, largely in the context of sub national violence. Children faced abduction, recruitment into armed groups and separation from families
Despite general improvements in the overall feasibility of humanitarian access since the establishment of the transitional government, access continued to be constrained in 2020 by sub national violence, bureaucratic impediments, operational interference, violence against humanitarian personnel and assets, and COVID 19 travel restrictions accompanied by lack of cross country unified travel regulations
COVID 19 placed an additional demand for health services, supplies and health professionals. Health workers and other frontline workers faced stigmatization due to their COVID 19 related work. Some routine programmes such as the Expanded Programme on Immunization were disrupted. Surging violence also resulted in the suspension of activities at several health centres, particularly in Upper Nile, Jonglei, and Lakes states, due to attacks on health workers and looting.
COVID 19, sub national violence, and flooding continue to strain access to the very limited basic services. More than 56 per cent of health facilities are non functional.