nlp-thedeep/humsetbias huggingface dataset:
UNHCR is working closely with its partners to share information, adapt and enhance the delivery of protection and services to refugees, IDPs, returnees and host communities. UNHCR, partners, and local health authorities are adapting the national plan to the local contexts which includes mass communication and community engagement  ( including hosting communities ) .
In support to national preparedness and response efforts, UNHCR and partners are implementing its contextualized COVID 19 contingency plan focused on refugee hosting areas as well as operations continuity plans to ensure the continued delivery of critical life  saving activities and protection interventions.
Locations for expansion of health wards in Lasu, Gorom  ( Central Equatoria )  and Makpandu  ( Western Equatoria )  have been identified and refugee housing units installed to expand capabilities.
Bunj  ( Upper Nile State )  and Pariang • County hospital  ( Unity State )  are both major hospitals serving refugees and host communities. Treatment and isolation units have installed, and tents put up for triage and observation.
By the end of November, 3,109 people were confirmed with COVID 19.
The refugee task forces coordinate with and support the County level COVID 19 Task Force to identify the needs of different refugee groups and ensure extended reach of awareness raising activities at community level including to persons with specific needs.
UNHCR undertook an analysis of the existing water sources in Maban's four refugee camps. Due to the damage from the 2019 floods, six solar systems will be repaired and a gap of fifteen generators and thirteen submersible pumps are needed to maintain global levels of water.
Awareness raising was done door to door, through small community meetings respecting distancing measures, and talk shows on local radio these activities, UNHCR and partners are also addressing rumours and misinformation about COVID 19.
In support to national COVID 19 response efforts in areas hosting refugees, UNHCR donated two ambulances to the Yambio State Hospital  ( Western Equatoria )  and to the Kajo Keji Hospital  ( Central Equatoria ) .
Many communities are still recovering from the aftermaths of recent floods, previous inter communal violence and cattle raids incidences, limited resources and access to services, protracted cases of displacements and associated protection concerns.
The Protection Cluster continues to participate in varied task forces of the COVID 19 response, including the National Steering Committee on COVID 19 and the Risk Communication and Community Engagement technical working group, ensuring the centrality of protection in the COVID 19 response.
In Rubkona, Unity State, two boys aged five and nine sustained injuries from an explosion of a 14.5 mm cartridge.
In addition, UNMAS received a report of an uncontrolled explosion in Manyo, Upper Nile, that reportedly killed one female and injured another female. The cause of the incident is unknown.
Additional facilities are needed in border areas and in the proximity of refugee camps to allow for medical screening and quarantine of new arrivals.
Insecurity and violence including intercommunal violence, clashes and cattle raiding will limit COVID 19 response measures currently underway and is a threat to the humanitarian space for intervention.
USD 5.5 m in cash based transfers made*  [ WFP ]
The High level Task Force  ( 8th May, LINK )  and Civil Aviation Authority  ( 11th May )  confirmed the reopening of the airspace and precautionary measures in place for travels, including a certificate of negative COVID 19 test or a certificate of self quarantine taken 14 days immediately before the departure date of passenger.
On 15 May, President Salva Kiir dissolved the High Level COVID 19 Task Force and replaced it with a National Task Force on COVID 19. This newly formed task force will be led by Abdelbagi Ayii Akol – Vice President for Service Cluster, with the majority of members comprising of undersecretaries.
UNHCR is advocating to relevant government ministries on the need for cessation of violence, including cattle raiding, as this negatively impacts COVID 19 response measures currently underway. A global call to lay down arms was released on 30 April
There is also an increased risk of survival sex among refugees and other negative coping mechanisms.
The early impact of the novel Coronavirus has been staggering in terms of impact on the economy, the public healthcare system, and the delay in establishing the political infrastructure in accordance with the R ARCSS in South Sudan.
Temporary school closures to limit the spread of COVID 19 have stopped education for most South Sudanese children, as they are unable to participate in digital alternatives due to a lack of internet access, computers, electricity, or teachers to instruct them online.
Around 1.9 million children and over 27,000 university and technical and vocational education and training students have had their learning disrupted, including training programmes for critical lifesaving health workers such as midwives and nurses.
As of early July, South Sudan confirmed more than 2,000 coronavirus cases.
The closure of the health sciences training institutes is also contributing to disruption of completion of studies of skilled maternal health workers, which will further exacerbate the shortage of qualified health personnel in an already complex and weak health system.
Furthermore, the longer school closures last, the higher the probability that many children will not return – joining the 2.2 million already out of school. This is especially the case for older students and for adolescent girls and young women, due to factors such as child marriage to alleviate poverty, and pressure to contribute to household income and support with household chores.
The ability for those newly displaced to access health and WaSH facilities are limited and observing physical distancing difficult.
The structural barriers to women's and youths' participation is exacerbated by instability and ongoing intercommunal conflicts that aggravate gender inequality and sustain traditional gender roles, social norms and negative cultural practices. The UNCF aims to address these structural inequalities through the UNCF's Pillar Four's focus on empowering women and youth.
Sanitation and hygiene materials such as hand sanitizers, soap, buckets, disinfectants and mosquito nets were provided to the ministries by agencies such as UN Women, UNFPA and UNHCR
IOM, UN Women and UNFPA have engaged male champions and youth change agents within IDP and refugee camps, as well as the larger community, on COVID 19 and SGBV messaging.
In addition, private sector employers cite skills shortages in the economy due to the flight of skilled labour and limited access to education. As a result of the latter, adult literacy is only 32.2 per cent whilst youth literacy is 44.4 per cent  ( Knoema, n.d. ) .
Using the resources available, humanitarian organizations kickstarted an immediate and ongoing response to meet people's needs.
UNFPA integrated COVID 19 messages in the menstrual hygiene management campaign ‘Periods Don't Stop for Pandemics' and provided menstrual hygiene management kits to most vulnerable young women and girls in the outskirts of Juba.
In addition, increased movements promote the risk of accidents related to explosive remnants of war.
A total of 1.37 million people were reached with food assistance by FSL cluster members. The cluster members reached more people than the target, since locations affected by floods are the same locations that receive blanket food distribution
As discussed above, young people under 25 years of age make up over 60 per cent of the population. High rates of unemployed youth8  ( an estimated 20 per cent )   ( World Bank, n.d. ) , and lack of access to education continue to fuel violent crime and instability United Nations,2020b ) .
Since July 2020, 2,056 metric tons of assorted humanitarian cargo has been transported to 87 locations on behalf of 63 organizations  ( by air, road and river ) . This included 546 metric tons of cargo transported mostly by air to ICCG priority locations.
The government has set up a technical committee to develop urgent alternative strategic sources of non oil revenue to supplement the gap being created by dwindling resources given low global oil prices. The government is also looking to explore options to diversify the economy, at a cost of US$4 million.
A total of 76,225 people in need of nutrition response
Over 250 organizations  ( UN agencies, international and national NGOs, etc. )  in need of common logistics service provision to ensure cargo and passenger movement to flood affected locations.
Limited additional funding to support the response to the crises is forthcoming and humanitarian partners are depending on reprogramming of ongoing activities and the use of supply stocks to accommodate the new needs.
Camp management at an early phase of an emergency situation can avoid the under  or over provision of humanitarian assistance and avoid resentment among affected populations as well as host communities.
At least 122 aid workers have been killed since 2013.
The education response is largely absent due to lack of funds. Limited support provided to disinfect 31 previously occupied schools, establish 4 emergency toilets, repair non functional boreholes and disinfect/chlorinate previously flooded boreholes.
The frequent movement of IDPs and refugee returnees in and out of the PoC, coupled with the continued flow of traders coming from Sudan and travelers arriving from Juba  ( areas known to have confirmed COVID 19 cases ) , poses a risk of virus transmission within the PoC and to surrounding counties.
Official messaging reported that people had the choice to leave the PoCs, but would not be forced to do so; the prevalence of this rumour suggests that this messaging has not been fully understood by populations in the PoCs.
Many of the targeted areas in South Sudan have inadequate or no warehousing facilities.
A total of 168,872 people in need of acute WASH response reached
Child Protection members provided CP services to 21,642 people in need of child protection response, including 12,640 children reached with psychosocial support and 4,558 children provided with case management services, including 479 unaccompanied and separated children.
Needs include hygiene promotion, kits distribution and emergency water supply. Where flood water has receded, repairing and/or disinfecting affected water sources, rehabilitating communal latrines, hygiene promotion and menstrual hygiene management.
( 21 September – 4 October 2020 ) Number of recoveries of COVID 19 cases in South Sudan 2560
Funding situation: 2020 UNICEF South Sudan WASH appeal: US$ 45,5 million Current funding gap: 89%
The country's extreme challenges have coincided with the emergence of COVID 19, declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020. The first case in South Sudan was confirmed on 5 April 2020. Since then, as of 26 August, the number of cases in South Sudan has increased, reaching 2,510 infections and 47 deaths
The floods have destroyed homes, schools, and other community infrastructure, displacing over 668,000 individuals, particularly in Jonglei, Lakes and Upper Nile states.
Most commonly reported health issue: Malaria   50%
COVID 19 is an invisible global enemy which knows no race, gender, ethnicity, nor religion: it has exposed the structural fault lines in all societies, including in South Sudan where the devastation wrought by the pandemic is compounded by a legacy of decades of armed conflict that has put human rights and the protection of civilians under severe strain.
The COVID 19 outbreak in South Sudan comes against the backdrop of an already dire humanitarian situation. Some 7.5 million people need humanitarian assistance according to the 2020 Humanitarian Needs Overview  ( HNO ) .
More than half of South Sudan's population are expected to face acute food insecurity at the height of the annual hunger season between May and July, according to projections made before the impacts of COVID 19, the plummeting oil prices and the recent desert locust infestation on food security were anticipated.
The dropout rate in 2016 was 11% for boys and 10% for girls.
These hubs currently serve 57 different organizations on a permanent basis: 33 agencies in Bentiu and 34 agencies in Malakal. Several other organizations are served for short‐term visits.
The United Nations has been facilitating the use of rivers by conducting port and access road upgrade works at Bor, Malakal, Melut and Renk, and will be further improving the Malakal port this year.
Also, for several years the United Nations has been managing humanitarian hubs in South Sudan, and currently administers two large hubs in Bentiu and Malakal which provide accommodation and office space to over 600 humanitarian workers.
There is a decrease in number of boys enrolled in 2018 as compared to 2017. This is likely due to the increase in violence and recruitment into militia groups.
The County Education officers reported an increase in enrolment of more than 10 percent compared to what was reported in the 2017 assessment. At the county level, 60 percent of enrolled students are boys while girls are 40 percent. Nationally, data collected from the sampled schools gives a ratio of 57:43 for boys and girls respectively, only slightly different from the County data.
The assessment revealed that 80.4 percent do not have hand washing facilities near their toilets while 85.5 percent of respondents do not have access to soap, which indicates that a majority of primary school students are exposed to waterborne diseases due to poor hygienic conditions.
According to a 2017 UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization  ( UNESCO )  report almost 70 per cent of the adult population is illiterate, one of the highest rates in the world.
Owing to insecurity, 22 aid workers were relocated in four locations. In addition, two humanitarian workers were arbitrary detained. No humanitarian workers were killed
Some 8,000 people were displaced in Mundri East, Western Equatoria, and an estimated 13,000 people were displaced by fighting in Maban, Upper Nile. In the meantime, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refuge es, over 4,000 refugees spontaneously returned in December.
Violence resulted in civilian displacement and casualties in Central Equatoria and Upper Nile in January.
Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations targeted over 420,000 people for live saving responses in flood affected areas. Physical access to Jonglei and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, however, remained challenging.
According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis, conducted in December, 5.82 million people, or 48 per cent of the population, were projected to face severe acute food insecurity between December 2020 and March 2021. In the same period, it is estimated that 11,000 people would endure “catastrophic'  ( phase 5 )  acute food insecurity in Pibor, and an estimated 1.79 million people were likely to face “emergency'  ( phase 4 )  acute food insecurity.
In Lakes, communal violence and cattle raids centred on Cueibet, Rumbek North, Rumbek Centre, Rumbek East and Yirol West, with 15 people killed in Mayath Payam, Cueibet, on 9 December alone. In addition, Dinka Atuot cattle keepers from Yirol West clashed with Moru cattle keepers in Mvolo, Western Equatoria, on 15 December over grazing lands.
Flooding, land and resource disputes and defections served as drivers of insecurity in Central Equatoria.
The Ministry of Health reports, as of 21 October 2020, that a total of 2655 people have recovered from the COVID 19 virus  ( Ministry of Health, 2020 ) . Worldwide, around 30 million people have recovered  ( Source: Statistica ) .
Among these challenges include: high nationwide insecurity; a gripping food crisis and lack of school feeding programs to keep children in school; non payment or inconsistency of teacher salaries; insufficient training of teachers; limited teaching and learning materials; limited accessibility to the schools and remoteness; poor school infrastructure; the non functionality of schools at the national level due to insecurity; school closures; the interruption of education days during the school year; limited availability of WASH facilities and soap in schools, low enrolment and attendance rates; and high drop out rates, and in some cases, inadequate support from the government and non  governmental organisations, the community, church and private individuals.
Only 30.4% of schools received training support. A majority do not receive training support, putting into question the professional skills development of teachers in South Sudan. According to the latest UNESCO report, less than half of South Sudan's teachers have received formal training. Even highly trained teachers face an impossible task in the classroom: Teacher pupil ratios are as high as 1:106 in some parts of the country. The Government struggles to cover the costs needed to run the country's eight teacher training institutes and half are abandoned.
Very few schools  ( 16.7% )  obtain support for rehabilitating their infrastructure. The majority do not, indicating that most schools in South Sudan are either in dilapidated condition, or that a significant portion rehabilitation.
Despite COVID 19 border restrictions, cross border movements continue – mostly through unofficial crossing points with no screening measures in place.
The requirement for an additional 14 days of quarantine imposed in some states following inter state travel was lifted. The discontinuation of this policy will ease humanitarian movement across the country. Notwithstanding, for all persons arriving in South Sudan from abroad, adherence to 14 days of quarantine and COVID 19 negative certificate  ( 72 hours prior to arrival )  are still required.
Famine like conditions  ( IPC 5 at household level, in the jargon )  are reported in Jonglei and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area. The violence in these areas has destroyed livelihoods, forced people to flee their homes, and driven down food production.
The South Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan is now larger than ever, at $1.9 billion dollars for this year. About a third of that has been funded so far.
Though we saw an improvement in the operational environment in 2019, it is now deteriorating again as a result of increased violence.
Another 2.2 million South Sudanese are still refugees in neighbouring countries, mainly in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Uganda, where the generosity of host communities is being stretched and tested due to limited funding for the refugee response. The violence continues to take its toll on women and girls, who face extreme levels of sexual and Gender Based Violence.
High rates of acute malnutrition have been observed, which can negatively impact immune systems and introduce additional co morbidities, increasing the risk of COVID 19 infection.
There is need to improve shelters in transit and reception facilities to prepare for an influx of refugees and to work with the health sector to ensure sufficient infrastructure for waiting areas, quarantine and isolation facilities.
Women and girls are at heightened risk of gender based violence, sexual exploitation and abuse.
While international borders were mostly closed from March through July 2020, new South Sudanese asylum seekers have continued to arrive in asylum countries in the region.
There were also reported internal population movements prompted by fears of rapid spread of COVID 19 in Juba as well as school closures.
During the assessment, DTM confirmed displacement of 16,480 individuals,  ( 2,744 households )  who fled flood affected payams of Rual Bet, Pagol, Manalor, Akop, Aliek, Kirik and Awul between 4 and 16 September.
Information gathered through key informant interviews indicate that IDPs found refuge among host communities of Rual Bet, Pagol, Manalor, Athieng Puol, Aliek Centre, Krirk and Warrap Town. All locations are located in Tonj North County. Urgent needs identified during the assessment include food, shelter, non  food items, and health services.
While the majority of IDPs live in host community settings, 26.7 per cent  ( or 426,693 individuals )  live in camps and camp like settings.
IDPs living in camps are more likely to be in urban/peri urban areas compared to those living with host communities  ( 17.8% vs 10.3% ) ; the same applies to IDP returnees as compared to returnees from abroad  ( 16.3% vs 9.9% ) .
1.3 million children under the age of five are forecasted to be malnourished– that's the highest in four years.
Two consecutive years of severe flooding has exacerbated food insecurity, as well as malnutrition, and displacement. Last year, nearly one million people were affected.
The Council of Ministers has decided that schools, closed since March, can re open, but 2.2 million children were already out of school before COVID 19
Years of conflict have devastated basic services, including the health care system.
Nearly 6.5 million people – more than half of the population – faced severe food insecurity at the height of the annual hunger season a few months ago. COVID 19 has made this worse.
Mr. President, As David alluded to, despite some encouraging developments since the signing of the Revitalized Peace Agreement in September 2018, and the formation of the Transitional Government this year, humanitarian needs – already high after years of conflict – are again now rising due to more violence, flooding, and COVID19, which is bringing a host of health and wider consequences, including increasing food insecurity.
The Boda Boda Talk Talk team at UN House broadcasted about the relaxation COVID 19 measures on COVID 19 and partnered with International Medical Corps  ( IMC )  who provided some tips to helps the community in the prevention COVID 19.
Health officials in South Sudan warn smokers of shisha pipes and cigarettes for severe disease when infected with COVID 19.
Capacity building of the health workforce is another priority, especially strengthening the role of community based health workers.
Response partners do monitor closely the return conditions at border points, assess the protection situation and needs of those who have returned on their own, and are supporting community based projects to promote peaceful co existence and meet urgent needs in communities of return.
UNHCR has maintained a non return advisory to South Sudan, noting the inability to facilitate a safe and sustainable return of refugees, and is not providing individual assistance to returnees.
In the Education sector, RRRP partners have introduced distance learning activities with the distribution of self  learning materials and launched radio based, TV and online distance learning for primary, secondary and higher education in several refugee settlements throughout the region.
Engaging host communities and strengthening social structures  ( local associations and community leaders )  in risk communication is critical for information dissemination and awareness raising.
Activities prioritized in the ongoing COVID 19 response include health  ( including Mental Health and Psychosocial Support  ( MHPSS )  )  and WASH activities, upgrading of health facilities, setting up emergency shelters to ease congestion, construction of isolation centres, food pre positioning and distributions, community mobilization and health awareness, protection monitoring and registration activities.
COVID 19 prevention and control measures, particularly the closure of schools, adversely affect the development, safety, and well being of children.
The long disruption of education activities and learning is affecting hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese refugee children.
Social distancing is also reportedly not being observed at most meetings, weddings, funerals and other public gatherings
Psychological first aid  ( PFA )  trainings: The trainings target humanitarian workers and community based structures in refugee camps and the host community. In August 2020, two  ( 02 )  PFA trainings were conducted: one was for the Danish Refugee Council  ( DRC )  and the other for the Jesuit Refugee Service  ( JRS )
When the monitoring tool was rolled out across South Sudan, the Maban RCCE Working Group invited an official from the National RCCE Technical Working Group to speak to humanitarian partners in Maban about the importance of sharing their data. Thereafter, the MEARL Unit organized an inter agency training for all monitoring and evaluation  ( M&E )  focal points in Maban County. During this training, the MEARL Unit showed M&E focal points how to use the harmonized monitoring tool.
As a result, the Maban RCCE working group established a COVID 19 Behavioural Steering Committee charged with the responsibility of providing evidence based advise to local authorities and partners on ways they could do things differently in order to attain the desired changes in practices  ( short term )  and behavior  ( long term )  among their core target audiences.
Since the onset of the pandemic, partners in Maban had been working tirelessly to raise awareness on COVID 19 and sensitize the community about ways they could protect themselves and loved ones from the disease. However, target audiences were slow to adapt the desired practices. This includes refugees, host community, local authorities and humanitarian workers.
Consolidated referral pathway: The MHPSS sub working group is working closely with protection partners in Maban County to develop a consolidated inter agency MHPSS referral pathway that will outlive the COVID 19 response.
The Maban rumour tracking and management sub committee also regularly produces a rumour management report that outlines rumours gathered from the community and rumors mainly categorized under prevention/cure, myths and stigma.
At the onset of the COVID 19 response, Internews was the only partner in Maban County with extensive experience in rumour tracking and management. In order to equip more partners with this vital skill, the rumour tracking and management sub committee planned a training of trainers  ( ToT )  for all humanitarian partners in Maban on 09 June 2020. The training was facilitated by Internews.
South Sudan was at the tail end of the global COVID 19 pandemic. Whereas some countries reported on COVID 19 towards the end of 2019, South Sudan only confirmed presence of the virus in April 2020. In turn, far flung Maban County only confirmed presence of COVID 19 in August 2020.
Nevertheless, COVID 19 continues to affect overall economic activity, market supply chains, and food prices in the context of the long term macroeconomic crisis and current foreign exchange shortage. Poor, urban households continue to be most affected by the economic impacts of COVID 19, as most small scale businesses are struggling to operate given reduced demand and higher operating costs.
Outside of flood affected areas, key informants report below average rainfall is contributing to poor crop performance in localized areas in Aweil East and Aweil West of Northern Bahr el Ghazal. Conversely, heavy rain caused some damage to groundnut and sesame crops in Magwi, Ikwoto, and Lafon of Eastern Equatoria. As of late September, no desert locusts are reported in South Sudan; however, key informants report Fall Army Worm damaged second season maize in Magwi, Pageri, and Mugali areas of Eastern Equatoria and Twic, Gogrial East, and Gogrial West of Warrap. In other areas in Greater Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal, favorable rainfall has provided better growth conditions for main season crops. Field reports confirm short cycle sorghum, maize, and groundnut are in the maturation and harvesting stages, while long cycle sorghum is in the vegetative and flowering stages.
Emergency  ( IPC Phase 4 )  outcomes are likely in 35 counties, with areas of greatest concern concentrated in Jonglei, Unity, Lakes, Warrap, and Upper Nile. Due to the impact of devastating floods, conflict, and worsening macroeconomic conditions, most households are still facing large food consumption gaps or using extreme livelihoods coping strategies to mitigate them. Catastrophe  ( IPC Phase 5 )  is likely among households in Jonglei and Greater Pibor Administrative Area, where recent conflict and two consecutive years of severe floods are exhausting coping capacity. Humanitarian food assistance needs remain very high in September, when the start of the green harvest would normally begin to lead to marginal improvement in outcomes.
Humanitarian food assistance distribution is critical to preventing large food consumption gaps across South Sudan. However, floods and conflict are hindering food assistance deliveries and impeding household access to food assistance distribution points.
50% are female and 50% are male.  ( HEPATITIS E IN BENTIU POC  )
In the weekly COVID 19 situation report from 17 23 August the Ministry of Health in South Sudan reports that only 24 percent – which is roughly one in three cases   reported the typical signs and symptoms of COVID 19  ( Source: Ministry of Health ) . This means that many people don't show signs and symptoms of COVID 19 and may not notice that they are ill. As such, they can still spread the virus, as they don't know they are ill.
Journalists in South Sudan report that misinformation and rumors around the COVID 19 outbreak and response mechanisms remain frequent. Some of the most persistent concerns include that “black people can't get COVID 19', that alcohol, herbal tea and onions can prevent people from getting ill with COVID 19, and that   which is highly relevant due to flooding across the country   “rain and flooding washed away COVID 19'. One third of all 150 unique feedback data points that Internews and partners collected across the country in the first half of September, contained misperceptions about COVID 19 and the response.
Food Security and Livelihoods: 5.3 M people in need, 1.6M newly vulnerable people.
Jonglei State was placed under a three month state of emergency beginning 13 August 2020. President Salva Kiir issued the declaration due to the unfolding humanitarian situation, the incidents of sub national violence that started at the beginning of the year and flooding.
In support of the national response and preparedness efforts, UNHCR and partners are implementing contextualized COVID 19 preparedness and response as well as operation continuity plans to ensure the continued delivery of critical life saving activities and protection interventions.
Within several refugee camps, refugee leaderships have organized their own COVID 19 Task Force to better coordinate the response within their communities.
The national COVID 19 plan has been adapted to the local refugee contexts which includes risk communication and community engagement  ( with both refugee and hosting communities ) .
While many of these movements are internal, some South Sudanese refugee household members temporarily return from refugee camps in one of the six neighbouring countries or other situations abroad to assist with planting.
Insecurity and flooding in certain areas hinder COVID 19 response in some refugee hosting areas and internally displaced settlements, especially in Central Equatoria and Jonglei.
In the South Sudan context where the healthcare system is weak, care responsibilities for COVID 19 cases are also anticipated to fall onto women and girls, who usually care for ill family members and the elderly. Their roles in caring for others, thus differentially exposing them to transmission, higher risk of physical and mental stress.
The closure of schools further exacerbates the burden of unpaid care work on women and girls, who absorb the additional unpaid work of caring for children and the sick.
Disruption to livelihoods, public services, food insecurity and the lack of freedom of movement can also exacerbate the risks of sexual exploitation and abuse. As more strict measures are adopted to curb the spread of COVID 19 coupled with the loss of means of livelihoods for most women, there is growing alarm that it might inadvertently trigger a rise in GBV.
The COVID 19 pandemic has also emerged within a fragile post conflict context in South Sudan, characterised by a dire humanitarian situation, heightened insecurity, alarming levels of localised violence, and weak public institutions, infrastructure, laws, policies, and political processes.
Regarding the availability of service delivery points for psychosocial support, Women and Girls Friendly Spaces are available in 54 per cent of all the 78 counties in the country.
Changes in behaviour to promote prevention measures as well as counter stigma on COVID 19 cases continue to be a challenge among all communities – refugee, IDP, and their hosts. This is likely to have an impact also on health seeking behaviour.
Despite the pervasive nature of GBV, there is limited availability and access to GBV service delivery points. Clinical management of rape survivors' service is available in 34 per cent of the assessed 253 health facilities.
Moreover, less than half of the state's healthcare facilities are operating, and, of those functioning, many are both understaffed and poorly equipped. In the entirety of South Sudan, there are only 24 ICU beds and 14 ventilators, with 10 having been recently donated by the United Nations.
South Sudanese women and girls already face extreme levels of gender based violence  ( GBV ) , much of which goes under  reported. Frequently reported incidents included physical assault, rape including conflict related sexual violence, sexual assault, emotional abuse, denial of resources and forced marriage. A total of 1,730 GBV incidents were reported in the first three months of 2020 before COVID 19 was confirmed in the country an 8 per cent increase compared to the reports received over the same period of 2019.
During a time when the justice system has been decongesting detention facilities due to COVID 19, with at least 1,479 releases, incidents of arbitrary arrest, detention, and ill treatment have also been recorded. Continuing a pattern documented by the Commission since 2013, Government forces, including National Security Service officers, have resorted to physical violence against those perceived to have broken curfew rules. As with many other countries, the fear of the virus has also become associated with foreigners. Although the authorities have taken steps to curb some of the initial manifestations, xenophobia and hate speech still persist.
Fulfilling these obligations requires that the Government should take urgent and concrete steps to implement key provisions of the R ARCSS which would provide South Sudanese with a functioning, unified, and integrated government capable of sustaining effective, transparent, accountable, and responsive measures to curb the transmission of the COVID 19 virus.
In Maban, awareness and information dissemination sessions were conducted on prevention of teen pregnancy while being out of school. SGBV advocates reached a total of 1,232 community members  ( 622 women and 610 men )  in Batil and Gendrassa refugee camps.
Effective governance is critical because any measures to fight the spread of the virus will be ineffective unless they can be implemented at the lowest levels of government. The delay by the Unity Government partners to agree upon a new legislature or to establish the leadership structures at state and local levels has created power vacuums at the sub national level at this time when authority and a state presence is most needed. The power vacuums have made it even more difficult to deploy strategies to address the alarming levels of localised violence such as in Jonglei State.
Displaced populations are mainly from Bor with no shelter and food
People's access to basic services was very limited already before the outbreak, and COVID 19 related restrictions on movement and service provision have only made things worse.
The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine prepared simulation based estimates for COVID 19 epidemic scenarios in South Sudan, based on COVID 19 spread in Europe. In an unmitigated epidemic meaning no interventions such as physical distancing or shielding the study anticipates that one year after the initial introduction of the virus in South Sudan, the total number of symptomatic cases will have been between 2.8 million and 3.4 million  ( using a population of 11 million ) . The projection of total deaths is estimated at between 23,000 and 31,000. The model also provides estimates in the presence of different potential interventions.
Gender  based violence was rampant in South Sudan already before the pandemic and is expected to only increase with COVID 19.
By the end of August, the UN agency reported, an estimated 500,000 people had been affected by flooding  ( Source: UNOCHA ) . UNOCHA also reports that: “in Bor South County, over 33,000 people earlier displaced by conflict and flooding'. It was also reported that “violence intensified… with Central Equatoria, Unity and Warrap experiencing heavy displacement'  ( Source: UNOCHA ) .
Feedbacks collected from Bor reported that citizens in the area believed COVID 19 was washed away by the recent floods and that locals believe they have strong immunity against COVID 19.
From the 105 feedback instances collected by partners in Juba – Boda Boda Talk Talk and Sama FM, most  ( 51% )  were calls for wider humanitarian assistance, particularly for those in PoC camps in Juba with the UNMISS withdraw, food insecurity, shelter and health related challenges. 23% were concerns and complaints about COVID 19 response mechanisms, 11% misperceptions about the COVID 19 response, 10% suggestions about how to make the response better, 2% appreciation for government and response workers, 2% other concerns and 1% questions about response mechanisms.
Journalists in South Sudan report that misinformation continues to exist, which may lead people to ease restrictions and personal protective measures
South Sudan continues to see a rise in the number of confirmed COVID 19 cases, with 2,748 confirmed cases, 2560 recoveries and 50 deaths, as of 7 October 2020.  ( Source: Ministry of Health ) .
While the number of reported refugee returns have decreased, more cross border movements are happening through unofficial border crossing points in order to avoid authorities.
Persisting criminality and localised forms of conflict pose additional challenges for launching health interventions and community awareness campaigns.
Additionally, the county has a large reported presence of refugees and households with a history of population movements to Sudan, where the virus has been detected.
Local markets in the area are mainly supplied through products imported from Sudan, and are likely to experience rapid price fluctuations due to cross border restrictions, which will impact communities' access to food in the coming months.
Large scale flooding in the second half of 2019 destroyed crops and caused livestock disease, exacerbating food insecurity in an already conflict affected population.
Large scale flooding in the second quarter of 2019 destroyed crops, killed livestock, and caused internal displacement within the county.
In addition, frequent population movement between Koch and Bentiu Protection of Civilians  ( PoC )  site and the arrival of IDP and refugee returnees, pose a threat for transmission of the virus.
Furthermore, frequent intercommunal violence and cattle raiding incidents with neighbouring counties disrupt livelihood activities and humanitarian assistance, resulting in small scale displacement.
Despite targeted food assistance, some of the population remains food insecure and dependent on humanitarian support.
Persistent intercommunal violence, cattle raiding and revenge killings restricted livelihood activities, access to other communities and markets, and humanitarian assistance in March.
Furthermore, reports of rising food prices due to border closure may worsen the continuously high reported rates of malnutrition.
Combined with low access to improved water sources, low reported use of soap for handwashing, and low access to health facilities, the county is at risk of the spread of COVID 19.
There is only one education partner  ( World Vision )  providing education services in the three IDP camps of Khor Adar, Dingtoma 1 and Dingtoma 2. The three camps have four schools; Khor Adar primary school in Khor Adar IDP camp, Dingtoma 2 primary school in Dingtoma2 IDP camp, and Abwong & Adong primary schools both in Dingtoma1 IDP camp. All the four schools are functional for candidate classes only. World Vision is paying teachers incentives, constructing latrines in the schools, training teachers and PTA and proving life skills for youth.  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ]
During the COVID 19 pandemic, UN Women is shifting gears to support women during the ongoing crisis.
“UN Women in South Sudan continues to provide training to women on business management, and also on diversifying their businesses to create products that can continue to sell even in the context of COVID 19,' said UN Women Deputy Country Representative Paulina Chiwangu. “UN Women is currently supporting 52 all women tailoring groups to produce masks,; in this way women are not only earning income from selling face masks, but they are directly contributing to efforts aimed at preventing further spread of COVID 19'.
Since 2018, UN Women in partnership with Change Agency Organization  ( CAO )  has been running a livelihood and gender based violence protection programme to help women like Raman grow their small businesses. Funded by the Government of Germany, the programme has reached 3,650 individuals, including 2,980 women, but with the spread of the new coronavirus in South Sudan, many participating business owners are unable to sustain their growth.
The implementation of social distancing rules, curfews and the closure of non essential business has had a drastic impact on small businesses, especially in the informal sector where women constitute the majority of the work force. Now that businesses have been allowed to re open with social distancing measures in place, women are working to adapt their businesses and get back on their feet.
Further, the closure of national and state borders has disrupted supply chains, resulting in increased market prices and obstructing humanitarian operations at the end of the lean season when food stocks are low.
High dependence on markets and humanitarian food distributions in Fashoda County suggest vulnerability to food insecurity, should these means be restricted due to border closures and scale backs on humanitarian operations.
The closure of national and state borders in response to COVID 19 has further disrupted supply chains and pushed up market prices at a time when food stocks are depleting and market reliance may increase.
The combined effects of flooding in late 2019 on access to food stocks, livestock and functional markets appear to have accelerated the onset of the lean season for vulnerable populations in Bor South and exacerbated existing vulnerabilities.
Flooding in the last quarter of 2019 resulted in low crop yields and low food stocks. This resulted in high reported adoption of consumption coping strategies, raising concerns of community resilience to shocks.
The market is one of the main sources of food, making the county vulnerable to shocks if cross border movement is limited or stopped. Due to a lack of cross  border regulation, Aweil West is also vulnerable to cross border cases of COVID 19.
The Commission urges all sides to ceasefire in order to avoid unnecessary loss of life and deepening the humanitarian crisis in the country. All parties should heed United Nations Secretary General António Guterres' urgent call on 23 March 2020 for an immediate global ceasefire. At a time when citizens' lives have been put on hold as they remain anxious about the spread of COVID 19, a ceasefire is essential for peace and to ensure that the effects of COVID 19 are not exacerbated.
More than 600,000 people in need of health response
A total of 59,042 people in need of ES/NFI response reached • Secured funding for 225,000 people in need
Before the COVID 19 outbreak, food security was a major concern in the county because of last season's flooding and pests, which KIs reported destroyed crops, leaving the population with limited harvest and dependent on the market for food.
Despite movement restrictions in response to the COVID 19 outbreak, a small scale cross border trade continues in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, which may increase transmission of COVID 19.
As the revitalised 2019 peace agreement halted conflict across most of the county at the start of 2020, the reported IDP presence increased, many arriving from neighbouring counties to seek refuge from insecurity and humanitarian needs, putting pressure on the availability of food and services.
Heavy rainfall and the presence of pests resulted in low harvest yields, impacting food stocks to last the dry season.
IPC predictions also cited rising food prices, impacting communities using the market to access food in the peak of the lean season  ( June ) , particularly if border restrictions limit foodstuff arriving from Uganda.
The quality of data on WASH GBV risk improved significantly relative to previous rounds. Data on the availability of gender separated latrines was collected for 1,720 IDP/returnee settlements, of which 1,408 settlements with presence of IDPs and 1,528 with presence of returnees.
Data on the availability of bathrooms and latrines that can be locked from inside was collected for 1,396 settlements with presence of IDP and 1,514 settlements with presence of returnees, accounting for 82.8 per cent of IDPs and 79.9 per cent of returnees.
89.7 per cent of IDPs, or 726,039 individuals, and 90.6 per cent of returnees, or 1,013,786 individuals, in host community settings live in settlements without gender separated latrines, compared to 30.8 per cent of IDPs living in camps and camp like settings, or 113,728 individuals.
Toilets and bathrooms that can be locked from the inside are not available to 90.8 per cent of IDPs, or 728,247 individuals, and 87.3 per cent of returnees, or 960,473 individuals, in host community settings.
As of 20 February, there were six partners including five INGOs and one NNGO operating in Aweil South.  ( Situation Report No. 3, as of 26 February 2021 )
Adequate access to food remained low and high levels of severe hunger were reported, which may be a result of rising food prices and therefore declining purchasing power, affecting mainly low income households.
In all assessed locations there were numerous requests from the community to clarify health information – such as whether drinking tea prevents coronavirus   and for government and humanitarian actors to provide more guidance on options for COVID 19 prevention and treatment methods.
A total of 410 schools across eight states have been affected by flooding; nearly half of the school buildings are occupied and used as shelter by IDPs. Damage of school infrastructure  ( classrooms, toilets, water points ) , destruction of education supplies and occupation of schools have delayed the reopening of schools in many areas.
Funding to support people affected by the floods was leveraged through existing, yet limited, financial resources, and some dedicated funding allocations.
Despite recent improvements in the overall security situation, high humanitarian needs continue across South Sudan, and the convergence of multiple shocks in already vulnerable areas in 2020 and 2021 could lead to severe outcomes.
In comparison, 70.5 per cent of IDPs in camps or camp like settings  ( 258,961 individuals )  do not have access to locked latrines.
Migrants in vulnerable situations are highly mobile populations  ( internal movements and short term cross border movement ) , and migrants who enter the country through porous borders  ( predominantly from neighbouring countries ) , some of whom have no travel documents and are at risk of detention, and/or are victims of human traffickers and smugglers
Other sources suggest that the number of returnees from abroad, prima facie refugees, is higher than this. According to available data for all 78 counties, 404,830 individuals returned to their areas of habitual residence between January 2018 and March 2020 and another 97,576 reached their habitual residence assessed by the Displacement Tracking Matrix team in 2016 and 2017  ( IOM DTP, 2020f ) .