Photo credit: Marcus Perkins/Saferworld

South Sudan

Our work in South Sudan

The world’s youngest country, South Sudan, was born in of a history of armed struggle. Violence that started in 2013 engulfed most of the country in 2016, largely falling along ethnic lines. Multiple ceasefires and peace deals were attempted, culminating in the formation of a transitional government of national unity in February 2020. This transition was meant to end with general elections in December 2024, but these are now delayed to December 2026.

Communities across South Sudan are eagerly looking to government and their leaders to ensure that citizens’ aspirations for security, sustainable livelihoods, social justice and political participation become a reality.

Our work

Saferworld has been working in South Sudan since 2008.

Alongside partners, we work with community members, particularly women, young people, people living with disabilities and non-state security providers, as well as civil society and security providers. Together, we identify and address safety and peacebuilding needs that are specific to the different communities.

The ‘conflict cluster’ approach

Recognising that conflicts don’t confine themselves to administrative boundaries, in 2021 Saferworld adopted a ‘conflict cluster’ approach in how we work in South Sudan, based on a vision set out in our ten-year strategy. This approach enables us and our partners to maintain important peacebuilding work at the community and sub-national levels, while also addressing the multi-faceted, interlinked and shared root causes of conflict that cut across borders. Saferworld works in six of the 12 prioritised conflict clusters in the country.

In South Sudan we are working on:

Gender, peace and security – we work for gender equality in South Sudan by working to transform roles that perpetuate conflict, and by promoting more equitable relationships.