nlp-thedeep/humsetbias huggingface dataset:
Over 57 percent of households across the country reported moderate  ( 54 percent )  to severe hunger  ( 3 percent )  during the 30 days preceding the assessment  ( Figure 2.4 ) . This represent a 6 percent decrease from 63 percent in December 2018. Households that reported moderate and severe hunger were more reliant on the gathering of wild foods and sale of food assistance as source of income than those that reported slight or no hunger.
Nutrition partner mainly screened children, pregnant and lactating mothers and as well interacted with displaced people that came from Bor in order to understand how they are coping with the current food challenges in regard to nutrition.
Across the country, 65.8 percent of the IDPs are returning from another country, mostly Uganda  ( 63.2 percent )  and Sudan  ( 19.3 percent ) . In all, 91.7 percent of the households identified themselves at residents while IDPs and returnees constituted 5.2 percent and 2.1 percent respectively. At the state level, Western Bahr el Ghazal had the largest proportion of IDP households  ( 25.9 percent ) , with Upper Nile and Central Equatoria States having the largest proportions of IDP and refugee returnees respectively. ( December 2019 )
Rates of pay have dropped, making it difficult for most workers to save more than SSP 500  ( USD 1.70 )  per month, and depreciation in the Sudanese pound has undermined the value of remittances.
Implementing partners & donor: ACROSS  ( PMU )  and its success: Production of vegetables has contributed to diet diversification, sufficient household foods and nutrition intake.
Frontline army work is therefore ‘left to poor men's sons, who have no other option to survive'.
ACROSS is only implementing outreach and referral components of nutrition in Kapoeta East and there is limited capacity of the current nutrition partner to provide nutrition supplies and referral of the severe malnutrition cases with medical complication/s to Stabilization Centers
In April, WFP reached 2.6 million people, with two to three months' worth of food assistance as part of the COVID 19 response. WFP is distributing two to three months' worth of food assistance to preposition food commodities at the household level to avoid large gatherings, minimize risks and promote social distancing.
There are very few options for young people in the borderland if they cannot build sustainable lives in an impoverished rural economy or in the internal militarized migrant labour market in South Sudan. The other option is moving north: To town and agricultural areas in Darfur and Kordofan, toward Khartoum and onward.
More than one million people have been affected by flooding since June across South Sudan. WFP is targeting flood affected people in need of food assistance. WFP has so far reached 240,000 people with assistance in December.
ACROSS, in partnership with PMU, is implementing a Multi Sectoral Lifesaving Humanitarian project funded by SIDA in Kapoeta East, Kapoeta North, Pibor  ( Kssingor )  and Lainya Counties. The project focuses on integrating FSL, Wash and Nutrition
The activities severely affected are:  ▪ Training: ▪ Distribution of agricultural inputs ▪ Food for Assets  ( FFA )  ▪ Livestock treatment.
Crop destruction by floods, too much rain and unusually high food prices together with insecurity are the key drivers of food insecurity in 2019/2020.
With improved security and access, humanitarians were able to reach more people with assistance and protection services in the first quarter of 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. Some 3.5 million women, men, children, elderly and people with disabilities were reached with humanitarian assistance. This represented 63 per cent of the targeted 5.6 million people, a 35 per cent increase compared to the number of people reached with assistance in the same period of 2019.
The Country Cluster Performance monitoring  ( CCPM )  survey was established by the Global Food Security cluster to monitor performance across ALL active clusters: currently 34 worldwide. The satisfaction scores for the South Sudan FSL cluster were recorded at 79%  ( 30 respondents )  for 2016 and 82%  ( 94 respondents )  for 2017; 85%  ( 116 respondents )  for 2018; and 82%  ( 132 respondents )  for 2019. In 2018 the methodology and scheduling of the survey was adjusted to ensure ALL countries assessed were aligned.
Attention should also be paid in rebuilding schools as 1 in 3 schools have been damaged, destroyed, occupied or closed and only 3.5% of girls are enrolled in secondary schools.
In Juba, housing is a sharing market, including groups of young men renting compounds together. Young men and women also invest in one another's businesses or provide start up capital.Friendship groups built on school classes and market work, as well as on ethno local origins and family ties organize medical costs and tuition fees. Since the banning of political  ( and therefore pan ethnic )  unions on Juba university campuses, region specific student associations solicit donations from important people who are also from those regions.
In addition, 310,000 refugees and asylum seekers are also identified with shelter and NFI needs. The number of people in need increased by 100,000 in 2021, compared to 2 million in 2020, due to an increase in the number of returnees
The initial South Sudan Humanitarian Fund Reserve Allocation enables both the Logistics Cluster and United Nations Humanitarian Air Service  ( UNHAS )  to provide additional helicopter rotations to the six counties; however, it is insufficient to provide dedicated aircrafts for cargo and passenger transportation.
Rains stretched into January 2020, shortening the dry season period, which usually lasts from December to April, and placing extra pressure on humanitarian partners to pre position aid supplies in a shorter than usual timeframe. By the end of March, the World Food Programme had pre positioned more than 111,500 metric tons of food items, nearly 60 per cent of the planned deliveries in areas that would not be reachable during the rainy season. This is thanks to the timely contributions received in the last quarter of 2019, which allowed WFP to procure, distribute and deliver the food on time.
DTM South Sudan continued the COVID 19 Mobility Impact exercise, providing information on movement restrictions, active measures, and the impact of the outbreak on different population groups in the country for 90 locations across the country, including land and blue border points, airports, and internal transit points and areas  ( towns, cities ) .
As of 7 August 2020, the cumulative total of confirmed COVID 19 cases in South Sudan stands at 2,472 with 47 deaths and 1,252 recoveries according to the Republic of South Sudan's Ministry of Health. The country has administered 15,393 tests to date.
IOM continued COVID 19 screening and provided IPC/WASH support at three POEs, namely Juba International Airport, Wau Airport, and Nimule Ground Crossing.
Share the findings of the report with relevant government institutions especially the Ministry of Health to help them understand the best means of reaching the older persons when disseminating COVID 19 related messages.
Based on the Consolidated Approach to Reporting Indicators of Food Security  ( CARI ) , 69.2 percent of households across South Sudan were food insecure in December 2019 of which 46.6 percent were moderately food insecure while 22.6 percent were severely food insecure.
The youth union shelter in the centre of Aweil, as with other social clubs, provides a space for young men in particular to discuss stresses and support one another. Although social norms are changing, young men and women still help organize marriages and funerals together, to keep up proper standards and observe traditional celebrations. In Aweil and its surrounding villages, too, young men and women organize cultural dance events in market spaces to motivate people with a sense of community and draw people into society.
Many people in South Sudan and in Khartoum emphasize the societal changes as a result of financial pressure. Some changes are positive. For example, around Aweil, charcoal selling young men are now reasonable marital prospects because of their decent income, and are no longer seen as embarrassing boyfriends because of their menial and manual labour and dirty agricultural work. As the costs of transport and food rise in both Sudan and South Sudan, however, people struggle to maintain old social relationships and education for their children.
The improvement in food security condition in South Sudan in 2019 is attributed to better crop harvest in some counties and improved access to markets and livelihoods following the signing of the revitalized peace agreement in September 2018.
22% of schools were attacked in Warrap.
The arrangement now for the returnees is sharing and borrowing household items from their relatives to survive.
Before the first case was confirmed, government had instituted guidelines enforcing social distancing measures and an emphasis on personal hygiene.
While the site population has grown considerably since 2013, there are no additional shelters constructed to accommodate new comers into the family. As such, families are forced to raise their children in a socially and environmentally unfriendly manner. One such challenge includes their inability to change clothes during day.
This implies that the estimated nearly 22,000 IDPs in the three collective sites have only restricted access to humanitarian aid, contributing to the continuous worsening of their shelter and living conditions.
The bathrooms and toilets are far away from the shelters and do not offer privacy at all. Direct observation of the latrines and bathing spaces in Mahad and Don Bosco reveal that these facilities lack locks and lighting increasing the risk of SGBV for camp residences, especially women and girls.
In Don Bosco and Mahad, IDPs live in decaying and filthy shelters infested by rodents and terrible smell oozing from unmanaged latrines. Since their establishment in 2013, most of the shelters have not been repaired. Some of the shelters visited not only had a terrible smell from latrines close by, but had also been damaged from the bases
Some 37.3 percent of households across the country reported a reduction in their income over the previous year. Loss of income sources and changes in market conditions are main reasons for the decrease in household income. On average, 73.9 percent of household expenditure was on food, with expenditure on cereals accounting for 48.6 percent of the total food expenditure in December 2019. This represents a slight decrease in both expenditures on food and cereals when compared to August 2019, when it stood at 80 percent and 47 percent respectively.
Suspension of all public transportation system between Juba and all other towns and villages in Central Equatoria, and between Torit and all other towns and villages in Eastern Equatoria.  26 April 2020
In January, more than 19,000 people were displaced by fighting in Maiwut County, Upper Nile, and in Yei and Lainya counties, Central Equatoria, of which 8,000 sought refuge in Ethiopia. Clashes between armed youth groups in Mvolo County, Western Equatoria, displaced an estimated 5,000 people.
The first COVID  19 case  ( IDP )  is confirmed at Bentiu PoC site. Partners begin contact tracing and continue in the construction of a Bentiu Town isolation centre.  8 May 2020
For most young people, resistance to this violent system, and the means of surviving economic precarity, along with repeated climate and political catastrophes, involves out migration to Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt, Libya and beyond.
Ministry of Health releases COVID 19 Country Preparedness and Response Plan  ( April   September 2020 ) . 19 March,2020
The Government has suspended passenger flights as well as public and private inerstate transport for up to two weeks effective from midnight Wednesday 15 April 2020  ( Communication from the presidency 25, HLTF 13 April 2020 ) . 13April 2020
Security forces put the UNMISS United Nations Mission in South Sudan base and Malakal PoC site under lockdown due to C O V I D   1 9 in Malakal County.  27april 2020
One health care worker dies of COVID 19 representing the first front line fatality in South Sudan.  29May,2020
WFP is grateful to the European Union for their contribution of EUR 3 million to supporting the humanitarian community in South Sudan through the Logistics Cluster and UNHAS. The contribution brings the European Union's total contribution to WFP managed common services to EUR 4.5 million for the next 18 months.
Total of 197 under five were screened in the week ending on 28th August to 6 September in Wulu and Cueibet counties respectively.
Over 125 teenage girls have become pregnant in Eastern Equatoria State since the COVID 19 lockdown began in South Sudan according to government officials who say it may lead to many school dropouts. 28July,2020
UNICEF and partners reached 95,487 children  ( 49,732 boys and 45,755 girls )  with non focused psychosocial support  ( PSS )  activities in child friendly spaces, schools and other community based interventions in Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Western Equatoria, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Unity and Upper Nile states.
Unless these service gaps are urgently addressed, the protective environment of the camps and camp like settings will continue to deteriorate. Therefore, Camp Management services, such as enhancement of existing governance structures to be more inclusive and representative, communication and community engagement, and advocacy need to be scaled up and improved to meet minimum standards in the provision of services to displaced populations
In Guba village near Wulu County, communities were found to be using a shallow well because of the distance of the community from functional BH.
It is against this backdrop that IOM is appealing for USD 25 million to support key response activities in South Sudan across the various pillars over the period July 2020 – June 2021.
Nearly half  ( 47 percent )  of the assessment respondents reported to have fed their children using a bottle the previous day. Analysis of morbidity  ( diarrhea )  incidences among the group of respondents using bottle was significantly higher by 7.13 percentage points  ( p=0.001 ) . ( December 2019 )
Since the outbreak of violence in December 2013, 26,18  ( 12,214girls and 13,970 boys )  cases of unaccompanied and separated children  ( UASCs ) , missing and other vulnerable children have been documented in South Sudan and only 6,348 reunified, with up to 4,000 children yet to be reunified.
In February, a mature swarm of desert locusts from Uganda arrived in Ikotos, Magwi and Torit counties in Eastern Equatoria. By March, the locusts were in several counties in Eastern, Central and Western Equatoria, and Lakes. The full impact of the locusts on food insecurity was not known by the end of the quarter.
Inter communal violence intensified and forced civilians to flee during the first quarter, with violence hot spots in parts of Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Lakes, Unity, Upper Nile, Warrap and Western Bahr el Ghazal states. Over 200 incidents of inter communal violence was recorded according to humanitarian partners on the ground and media reports. The increased number and range of weapons used by rival clans, along with the limited response by local and national authorities, including the security forces, contributed to the spike in violence.
From the start of the year, there was an upward trend in food prices. The COVID 19 threat and related preventive measures had a significant impact on supply chains in the region, causing prices to rise and a goods shortage.
WFP is grateful to the United States Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance for their USD 100 million contribution to food and nutrition programmes in South Sudan.
Decades of insecurity and upheaval have damaged traditional social structures and weakened justice mechanisms, leaving children more vulnerable to protection risks
Public Health and Veterinary Services should work together using a One Health approach to share information, assessments and service delivery to livestock keepers as may be feasible at the local level  ( OIE Questions and Answers on the COVID 19 ) . This should include messaging to the general public on the safety of livestock products and transmission of COVID 19.
Looting at a food distribution site in Mukuac has halted food distributions for March.
According to data collected during the two week period in Upper Nile, community perceptions were primarily related to concerns about the impact of government response to COVID 19, particularly restrictions on the movement of people in and out of the PoC, and economic impact of prevention measures.
A total of 32,099 people  ( 16,975 girls, 15,107 women and 17 boys )  received case management, psychosocial support  ( PSS ) , and skills building courses in Women and Girls' Friendly Spaces  ( WGFS ) , and referrals for other specialized and non specialised services.
UNICEF and partners trained a total of 845 people  ( 60 girls, 47 boys, 514 women, 224 men )  comprised of frontline staff, service providers, school focal points and the community members on case management, clinical management of rape, psychosocial support, psychological first aid as well as the GBV pocket and referral guide.
In addition to GBV survivors, adolescent girls and young women who are survivors of child marriages as well as conflict related sexual violence survivors were also supported.
IPC/WASH support at the POEs include the supply of clean water through water trucking, rehabilitation and maintenance of sanitation facilities, construction and installation of handwashing facilities, and supply of IPC materials such as face masks, soap, and hand sanitizers.
On February 19 2021, the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan  ( CHRSS )  released a new report documenting an alarming increase in localized violence. According to the report, “vast swathes of South Sudan have witnessed a massive escalation in violence perpetrated by organized tribal militias'.
While the observed declining trends are encouraging, the figures should be cautiously interpreted as they may be affected by many factors, including the current testing capacity and strategy, as well as delays in reporting, according to WHO.
Wau Shilluk has experienced conflict prior to South Sudan's independence in 2011, and was not spared the brunt of the war that started in December 2013.
At the start of the conflict, there were approximately 20,5003 civilians in Wau Shilluk, most of whom fled the area after key service facilities and the market sustained major damage from shelling.
South Sudan remains in the grips of a civil war and humanitarian crisis. Since the start of the conflict in 2013, internal displacement peaked at 1.9 million people, with up to 85 percent estimated to be women and children.
The major source of information on current affairs is government officials and individuals who travel from Malakal. ZAIN and MTN mobile telephone network are available in some places in all four locations, but community members complained about a lack of radios.
According to women who participated in the Focus Group Discussions  ( FGD ) , some of the returnee households share accommodation with relatives and host community members which may expose the women to GBV and other protection concerns.
The women confirmed that fighting occurs among households which share shelter and utensils.
When violence broke out in South Sudan in December 2013, it forced thousands of internally displaced persons  ( IDPs )  to seek protection in and around United Nations Mission in South Sudan  ( UNMISS )  military bases. This led to the creation of Protection of Civilians  ( PoC )  sites.
As livestock is an important source of meat and milk and the main source of income for 25.5 percent of households, livestock ownership is important for food security in rural areas of South Sudan. Some 48.9 percent of households reported owning livestock in December 2019, down from 52 percent in August 2019 and 50.6 percent in December 2018.
People's other commonly identified needs were healthrelated – such as shortages in medicines and health personnel, long distances required to access care – or unmet needs for non food items   such as agricultural tools, fishing nets, seeds. Insecurity was also reported as a key concern.
As compared to January 2019, the proportion of the population facing Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  or worse acute food insecurity has decreased by 9 percent.
The risk of a rapid spread of COVID 19 in South Sudan is high, due to the country's weak health system, low water supply coverage, poor hygiene and sanitation services, as well as the challenge of maintaining key humanitarian supply chains through neighboring countries.This has left the South Sudanese population and residents highly vulnerable to epidemic diseases, particularly women, children, persons with disabilities, the elderly, Internally Displaced Persons  ( IDPs ) , migrants and returnees.
The Don Bosco Health Center held a three day workshop about coronavirus and prevention strategies. There were follow up seminars and training for health care staff.
Unlike with EVD, COVID 19 presents greater risks of direct impact on the population of South Sudan.
A total of 68.8 percent of households faced inadequate food consumption in December 2019, of which 35.4 percent had poor food consumption and 33.4 percent borderline food consumption. Only 31.2 percent of households had acceptable food consumption, a 9 percent increase from December 2018
COVID 19 will particularly affect the large number of women in South Sudan who engage in cross border trade and informal livelihood activities.
Further, the COVID 19 outbreak comes at a critical time as it coincides with the lean season and start of the main planting season. Any disruptions in the agricultural input supply chain and preparations for planting at this time will likely affect the outcome of the 2020 cropping season
However, mental health and psychosocial support  ( MHPSS )  services are affected by movement restrictions, lack of staff and funding.
In early April 2014, opposition forces captured Bentiu town following intense fighting. Fearing reprisal attacks, the number of civilians entering the PoC site swelled to 40,000.
Located in an area prone to flooding, it was reported that during the 2014 rainy season, many areas of the PoC were flooded by up to a metre of standing water
Over the reporting period, transport of 104 mt of Food Security, General Operations, General Program, Health, Logistics, Nutrition, Protection, Shelter and WASH cargo to 12 locations was facilitated on behalf of 18 organizations.
Additional funding is needed to support the required scale up of the planned inter cluster response.
Surveys show that insecurity at intended destination, as well as the comparatively better conditions at places of current settlement remained the main reasons for staying within displacement sites. Women are particularly affected, being most prone to having issues, risks, or concerns at destinations preventing return movement
As of 21 October, 212 requests from 72 organizations had been approved by the Inter Agency Technical Team, resulting in the allocation of more than 2.37 million PPE items from the common pool created by WHO, WFP and IOM.
Immediate response priorities include sustaining the ongoing, multi sectoral response scale up in the six most food insecure areas and preparing for the 2021 rainy season, which is forecasted to lead once again to major floods.
At Juba International Airport, screeners received refresher trainings on the calibration of infrared non contact thermometers. Similar refresher trainings are planned for Nimule and Wau PoEs.
The transition of the Protection of Civilian Sites to conventional IDP sites may further entrench protracted displacement and the associated burden on displaced people, returnees and host communities particularly due to the uncertainty about the continuation of humanitarian services, security and safety in areas of return.
The last distribution of food by World Vision  ( WFP implementing partner )  was in August 2020.  [ Melut IDP settlements, Upper Nile ] ,  [ 12 13 January 2021 ]
In week 44, malaria remains the top cause of morbidity and mortality across the country. Cumulative cases reported are 354 572 and with 28 deaths. A total of 87,862 cases have been reported within week 44.
A scale up in humanitarian food assistance and livelihoods support in these areas is also of critical importance to ensure households have enough to eat and can rebuild their livelihoods after years of protracted conflict.
At Nimule PoE, IOM completed the construction of 2 blocks of latrines separated by gender at Jalei truck parking.
Due to various humanitarian shocks, the community care strategy to prevent and avoid sexual violence against girls and preventing early marriage still needs to be rolled out.
Bentiu PoC covers 1,646,612 m2 with approximately 116,725 residents in 19,654 households.
Old Fanagak and all the villages ; No bathing shelters for the population currently living at the schools which are overcrowded and there is risk to COVID 19. An estimated 400 women, men, boys and girls are currently staying at the primary schools in in 3 schools
In a time of isolation, quarantining, and travel bans, however, the delivery of essential humanitarian aid and medical assistance is severely compromised.
South Sudan counts more than 20 ports located along the Nile River between Bor and Renk. Waterways have become a more reliable means of transportation for commercial goods and humanitarian cargo along the Nile, El Zharaf and Sobat rivers.
Due to flooding, WFP has seen an increase in the numbers of cattle keepers travelling from Bor into Southern areas to move cattle to available pastures. This has the potential to raise tensions between resident communities and those displaced and/or forced to move due to destroyed livelihoods.
For a country that relies heavily on import of staple foods, rapid depreciation of the local currency from 2015 to date has made food imports more expensive, decreasing the purchasing power of households living with inelastic incomes and high rates of unemployment. Food prices increased sharply in 2019 in tandem with the currency devaluation, inflation, disrupted agricultural production and trade flows, limiting household economic access to food, affecting not only the poor who mainly rely on markets during the lean season but also the returnees, and IDPs who have lost assets and are yet to recover.
Severity of access constraints: Moderate incidents consists 7% of suspension of humanitarian operation, 7% other operational interference at field level, 6% robbery, theft, ambush, 5% heavy and changing requirements and 4% other bureaucratic, administrative impediment.
COVID 19 effects have been indirect, mainly reflected through an increase of the prices of basic commodities, restrictions on humanitarian operations on the ground, and lower revenue going into the budget.
A number of international and regional airlines announce they would resume flights as soon as 10 July 2020.3July,2020
The ongoing flood situation will further aggravate the health situation, the spread of existing outbreaks and the likelihood of new outbreaks in 2021. This highlights the critical need to strengthen disease surveillance and response system to prevent, detect and respond to future outbreaks.
There is a visible reduction in the presence of soldiers in Wau and all surrounding villages.
Several aggravating factors, explain the high malnutrition rates and these include; high morbidity rates in almost all states, compounded by poor quality of diet with only 4 percent of children achieving the required MAD  ( minimum Acceptable diet )  and low WDD; The other aggravating factor is flooding that contributed to internal displacement in some locations, disrupting households' livelihoods and water. ( December 2019 )
Long term projected temperature increase: 1°C – 1.5°C  ( 2060 )
South Sudan COVID 19 Statistics as of 21 July, 2020: 3 IOM managed POC sites. 231618 total number of screened ( 16 Feb 11 July 2020 )
HIV and tuberculosis are common chronic infectious diseases but only a small fraction of affected people have access to treatment. ( 2020 )
Older people surveyed in both settings are aware of a wide range of methods they can use to protect themselves from COVID 19. 87% of older people mentioned handwashing as a method 95% 5% Older people who have heard of COVID 19 Yes No 5 for protecting themselves. This was followed by avoidance of touching the face at 52% social distancing 42%. These trends are similar across both the POCs and in urban Juba.
As the Field Team Member, WVSS/FSL Cluster involved in the following key tasks; interviewing stakeholders, contributing evidence and developing case studies, promotional materials, including social media, feedback on SEADS process, contributing to public consultations, organize simulation events.
World Vision, being NGO Co Lead for FSL Cluster, with field experience and its geographical footprint across South Sudan, committed to support the development, promotion, outreach and effectiveness of SEADS, working with Tufts University in Boston, the lead on the SEADS project. Accordingly, a letter of commitment, along with South Sudan FSL Cluster's Agriculture Portfolio and a brief work plan for SEADS related activities for 6 months was submitted.
The majority of the communities' livelihood depends on agriculture and it is the key interventions for livelihood recovery.
FSL Partners across South Sudan were asked to share the evidence of timey interventions and have positive impacts on livelihoods, markets, systems and services. Many partners responded positively and shred with the FSL cluster the evidences, such as evaluations, impact assessments, or reviews   the evidences of impact and cost effectiveness of agriculture interventions undertaken in the context of different kinds of crises including rapid onset, slow onset, complex and protracted crises. Those resources were shared with Global SEADS to consider while developing standards to support emergency agriculture.
While movements through most western routes bordering Northern and Western Bahr el Ghazal have been unaffected by COVID 19 regulations, other eastern routes remain shut down with travellers using alternative smaller routes. Heavy rains in across Sudan have increased the risk of disease outbreaks and could potentially pose obstacles to efforts to contain the COVID 19 pandemic.
Stockpiles are also limited due to border closures and an increase in demand from neighboring countries.
Simultaneously, FAO is working to upscale its resilience activities that will lay the foundations for households' and communities' long term recovery and development.
IDPs in PoC sites do not have sufficient access to hygiene and sanitation facilities and are at risk of disease outbreaks in the congested conditions. WASH needs are also high among IDPs and returnees in non camp settings and among their already stretched host communities. While host communities and non displaced people are in need of WASH items and facilities, increasing needs are expected with recently returned refugees and IDP groups, or those settling in new locations
In Wau, two community theatre shows were organized with IOM support to provide marginalised youth with a platform to share their experiences and peace messages through drama and songs.
The Protection team  [ IOM ]  conducted a prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse  ( PSEA )  training for 24  ( 14 male and 10 female )  casual workers hired to assist with item distribution. The casual workers were trained on key SEA messages and its six core principles, consequences and reporting channels. The team also identified extremely vulnerable persons with special needs. These beneficiaries have been selected to receive Individual Protection Assistance  ( IPA ) . During the interventions, the Protection team also took the opportunity to spread COVID 19 key messages among 39  ( 23 male and 16 female )  community members.
• It is important that disease surveillance and monitoring of risk factors be enhanced during the COVID 19 crisis, so as to ensure appropriate response to unusual events. In the current wet season across the East African region, there is an alert for Rift Valley Fever  ( endemic in South Sudan )  linked with flooding.
The already strained access environment was negatively impacted by abnormal flooding and poor road conditions. Physical access was compromised with logistical challenges and infrastructure damage. Some remote locations, particularly in Jonglei, were accessible only by air or riverine transport.
The weakened health system compounded by multiple shocks will impact the health and wellbeing of an estimated 4.9 million South Sudanese in 2021. This is a 36 per cent increase from the 3.6 million people in 2020. In addition, 310,000 refugees and asylum seekers continue to need support with health care
Arrival and departure screening for COVID 19 was conducted, reaching a total of 31,361 travellers, as follows: 9,959 individuals screened at Juba International Airport, 3,050 individuals screened at Wau Airport, 10,979 individuals screened at Nimule Border Crossing,
Since July 2020, a total of 3,182 metric tons of assorted humanitarian cargo have been transported by air, road and river to more than 100 locations on behalf of over 80 partners. This included 814 metric tons of cargo transported by air to Inter Cluster Co ordination Group priority locations.
3 out of 4 people diagnosed with waterborne diseases
Livestock partners to support with provision of Information Education Communication  ( IEC )  materials through written posters/ pictures through radio announcements played on local FM stations or at markets and around key communal places including cattle camp settings. Key messages must include: No handshakes, social distancing, the main signs and symptoms of the disease etc. and done in a way that best suits the local culture
• Local authorities need to be supported to regulate access and functioning of the markets/ auction yards in accordance with WHO guidance and operate within measures  ( frequent hand washing, using disinfectants, wearing facemask & physical distancing )  to avoid spreading of virus; and offer guidance such as markings for safe negotiations among traders & security services for orderly operations.
• Use network of CAHWs to disseminate COVID 19 awareness information whilst providing frontline animal health services; messaging is best when communicated in the local language directly in the community where feasible by trusted local respected influencers – many of the CAHWs fit this description;
In Abyei Administrative Area  ( AAA ) , the International Organization for Migration's  ( IOM )  Transition and Recovery Unit  ( TRU ) , in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, supported a farming group consisting of 25 beneficiaries  ( 10 women and 15 men )  with the ploughing of eight acres and distribution of farm inputs.
Key messages on COVID 19 and livestock related issues should be articulated, agreed upon and widely disseminated at the local level to counter misinformation. FSL Cluster / LTWG meetings are appropriate forums for this coordination as are the Inter Cluster forums at State level, trade associations, existing in kind, cash and livelihood support distributions and even at a lower levels such as cattle camps
As part a pilot to respond to the Desert Locust DL and the anticipated flood emergency  ( all in the COVID 19 pandemic ) , FAO is prepositioning about 800 MT of Total Mix Ration  ( TMR ) , a feed supplement that is meant for ruminants.
Protracted conflict and negative impact of floods, COVID 19 and desert locusts has contributed to an extended and complex humanitarian crisis in South Sudan. Since the year 2021 began, people in South Sudan continued to suffer with high humanitarian needs
In order to minimize food loss, promote food safety practices in the handling of livestock products  ( milk, meat, eggs etc. ) . This can be done through supporting livestock/ livestock products value chain ( s ) .
•The pre positioning of veterinary vaccines, drugs and supplies is important to mitigate movement restrictions; rainy season and / or COVID 19 associated logistic challenges related to importation and the supply chain.
Between April and June 2020, IOM continued to be the largest WASH service provider in the Protection of Civilians  ( PoC )  sites in South Sudan, ensuring that 154,158 internally displaced persons  ( IDPs )  received daily WASH services, including solid and liquid waste management.
• Government of South Sudan / Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries / Ministry of Health: as part of the One Health approach respective Ministries, FAO and WHO should not neglect important disease outbreaks such as RVF which run the risk of being neglected due to the focus on COVID 19 with detrimental effects on both livestock and humans;
WFP, FAO, FEWSNET, REACH and 25 FSLC8 partners already monitoring market prices  ( basic commodities including livestock and cereals )  across the country on a monthly basis and effects of COVID 19 on a fortnightly basis; this is essential to monitor the shift in terms of trade between cereal producers/ sellers and livestock keepers/ sellers and the effect on agro pastoralist/ pastoralist livelihoods;
GOSS/ MOH: as part of the One Health approach with UNICEF and WHO to ensure that children's vaccines are made available and that health workers alongside CAHWS continue to reach remote locations and cattle camps;
• Encourage national level, government/ humanitarian led finance schemes, such as soft loans for agriculture and livestock sectors. It is also important to work through trader associations and pastoralist unions, the South Sudan chapter of the North Eastern Africa Livestock Development Council, for extensive impacts, beyond households, to the national economy.
• Integrate “One Health' approach in the training of the CAHWs to promote their contribution to biosecurity, food hygiene and sanitary practices among pastoralists. Enhance collaboration with CAHWs, ensure that they are well equipped  ( with PPEs ) . Link them to local government authorities, technical teams and the nearest agrovet dealers to maintain flows of livestock inputs.
• Such advocacy should be undertaken as much as possible jointly with other Agencies and organizations in order to ensure coherence and amplification of messaging. COVID 19 pandemic has demonstrated the critical need for the institutionalization of the One Health approach in the context of fragile situations
GOSS/ MOLF: Considering the critical role of livestock in food security, there's a need for special exemptions/ corridors to facilitate movement and transportation of inputs during livestock vaccination campaigns. Permission for special chartered flights to transport inputs and vaccines to the 130 solar vaccine cold chain facilities across South Sudan.
Where possible to promote decentralized markets & auction yards to reduce overcrowding and the need to travel. The stakeholders  ( livestock keepers, traders, veterinarians, para vets, marketing authorities )  require appropriate PPEs including masks; with handwashing stands installed;
As of September 21, relief actors had responded to humanitarian needs in 29 flood affected counties, prioritizing areas with populations experiencing Crisis IPC 3 and Emergency IPC 4 levels of acute food insecurity.
Awareness radio program and cash plus programming needs to be undertaken with care and due consideration to all measures against the spread of COVID 19.
•Any training to respect social distancing and to be conducted in small groups  ( 10 or less ) ; currently most face to face trainings has been cancelled and any forms of distribution must consider a reduction in the number of persons attending at any one time and to ensure sufficient hand washing facilities, along with messaging and awareness raising around COVID 19; • Non – medical face masks must also be provided to CAHWs and agro pastoralists during any trainings / sensitization events
War displaced people returned to Northern Bahr el Ghazal state created new villages and suburbs, particularly of returning refugees and displaced people who had worked in cash economies in towns and industrial farms across Sudan and Egypt, and who had gained urban skills.
The current agriculture and food security outlook could be exacerbated by desert locust infestation in parts of the country. Large swarms of desert locusts are reported to have entered the South Eastern part of the country, arriving from North Eastern Uganda from February 2020 and are reported to have maintained their presence in the area since then. While no formal quantification of the extent of damage caused by these locusts has been completed, the potential damage could be large if control measures are not urgently put in place. Extensive damage to crops and pasture lands is likely to occur in affected areas with swarms of mature desert locusts reported to be spreading to new areas of South Sudan, including Central Equatoria, Jonglei, Lakes, and Western Equatoria states, as well as previously unaffected parts of Eastern Equatoria11. With these challenges, the food security outlook for South Sudan continues to be dire, exacerbated by COVID 19 containment measures and disrupted trade flows leading to a spike in the prices of essential commodities.
South Sudan's oil production has been associated with breaches of environmental safeguards leading to environmental pollution, health risks, and destruction of ecosystems.
With increased production following resumption of production in formerly damaged oil wells, the country is now estimated to export 62.1 million barrels in FY2020 from 49.1 million barrels in FY2019.
According to the Ministry of Mining, therefore, all gold produced in South Sudan is in effect produced illegally. In many cases, however, this illegality is a consequence of limited state capacity and reach, rather than criminality, with artisanal gold mining offering an important source of income to individuals and families with few alternatives available to them.
People's living conditions are also impacted by very limited government led services and lack of access to basic public health, WASH, education and protection services, including SGBV and child protection
Gold mining is thriving in many parts of the country. However, most gold production in South Sudan is artisanal, meaning that relatively shallow alluvial deposits are mined using only rudimentary equipment. For many such miners, gold mining is one part of a broader livelihood strategy and is not a full time occupation. Artisanal mining is also seasonal in South Sudan, peaking, in most areas, during the rainy season when the necessary water is more easily available. It is, therefore, difficult to estimate a total number of artisanal miners with any degree of accuracy, although a number in tens of thousands during peak times is plausible
Flooding, persistent insecurity, and deteriorating macroeconomic conditions are reducing household purchasing power and exacerbating humanitarian assistance needs across South Sudan.
Implementation of planned FSL activities Fashoda, Gogrial West, Manyo, Mayendit, Melut, Renk and Wau are reported to be severely affected by COVID 19  ( partners are likely to reach less than 33% of the beneficiaries )
Following the government directive on reopening of schools for candidate classes, WFP is collaborating with UNICEF to provide support to over 1,000 schools which are jointly targeted by both agencies. WFP is working on resumption of school feeding while UNICEF is distributing assorted WASH and education items, which include items intended to help mitigate COVID 19 transmission and improve hygiene in schools.
The second month of in kind food distributions is ongoing in Juba as part of the Urban Safety Nets project. WFP is targeting over 78,000 people facing acute food insecurity who will continue to receive food assistance through the end of the year. Distributions are organized in 25 centres where social distancing and hygiene measures have been put in place.
Government regulations to contain the spread of COVID 19 in South Sudan were first introduced on 13 March 2020 and have progressively expanded.
In South Sudan, violence continues to pose the greatest risk to food security
32,171 WASH NFIs Kits distributed.  [ by IOM, Quarter3 2020 ]
7,144 dignity kits distributed  [ by IOM, Quarter3 2020 ]
These cycles of conflict and post conflict reconstruction have monetized society, shifting families from self production to market dependence. This includes selling food crops and other locally produced goods, such as mats, bricks, charcoal and metalwork. Others have become involved in the long distance trade of commodities such as fuel, clothes and pharmaceutical drugs. Most people are now tied to this market economy, relying on cash to buy food, service debts and  ( particularly for younger people )  finance their education
The end of this post war reconstruction period also coincided with the oil shutdown in South Sudan in mid 2012, starting a national slide into inflation  ( and hyperinflation in 2015 ) .
For most poor men, the military is a chance for a ‘better life than doing nothing.' Soldiers deployed outside Juba at Garam, for example, can make charcoal after their duty shifts and organize its transport to Juba for sale
Global Humanitarian Funding 2020:  Overall: USD 1.5 billion WFP share: USD 671 million WFP 6 month Net Funding Requirements  ( October'20 March‘21 ) :  544.2
Locations reliant on cattle keeping, flooding were also affected negatively impacted as grazing grounds were destroyed, migration paths washed away, and increased likelihood of livestock diseases spread
Between February and December, some 430 schools have been affected and damaged by floods and by violence and 185 of these schools have been and are still occupied by IDPs. These school infrastructures including WASH, latrine, furniture, and educational supplies have been destroyed and require urgent rehabilitations and reconstructions.
strengthen ANC and delivery services in Mangalla by deploying back the displace health personnel and possible employment of extra staffs to support the influx.
During the month, the Logistics Cluster coordinated two inter agency convoys on behalf of four organisations, transporting humanitarian supplies from Juba along the Western Corridor
The Logistics Cluster published 14 information management products on the operational website.
Need for dignity kits distribution to women and girls of reproductive age
As in most states, in NBeG there exists a disparity in how respondents perceive the severity of the virus and their susceptibility to it. Over half of respondents in the reporting period referred to common themes of “divine intervention' and “African immunity' as protecting them from the virus. The theme of “isolation' also emerged, whereby the relatively remote and isolated nature of NBeG was perceived to protect the population from the spread of COVID 19. Population movement did not appear to resonate as a concern in NBeG during the reporting period, despite extensive precedents of movement between NBeG and locations in Sudan. This suggests that perceptions related to protection from God or the perceived inability of the virus to affect Africans or to spread in remotes areas of NBeG, may be superseding other commonly held concerns around COVID 19.
An estimated 57 per cent of South Sudanese in country are under 18 years old.
Civil society groups: Are active in media visibility, advocacy, and fundraising efforts. Faith based groups: South Sudan Council of Churches  ( SSCC )  is coordinating with other faith actors to mobilize support, humanitarian access, advocacy & peaceful co existence of host and affected communities. Philanthropy groups: Providing local donations and in kind support.
One rumor suggested that the reason some communities are not taking the threats of COVID 19 seriously is because people are “not dying' in South Sudan as they are in other countries, drawing a comparison between Coronavirus and the Ebola outbreak, and the perception that Ebola did not impact Europe. This rumor represents another variation on the ‘African immunity' theme, whereby COVID 19 is perceived as a disease of ‘other people' and not South Sudanese.
The year on year inflation rate stood at 40 per cent in March 2020