As the situation in Sudan is getting worse every day, the impact has spilled over to the neighboring countries including South Sudan. With over 80,000 people, including South Sudanese registered to have returned fleeing the conflict in Sudan, where the biggest percentages are women and girls whose reproductive health needs worsen when the crisis hit.
With already prolonged conflicts and climate shocks, many South Sudanese, have been displaced people internally, and this has an additional heavier burden to the affected women and girls who face rape, gender-based violence, and growing health concerns.
“No one puts their children in a boat unless the water is safer than the land.” Says Nyabol Duoth speaking in her local Nuer language in Leer County during the distribution of dignity kits by Hope Restoration in partnership with UNFPA to the refugees and returnees who fled the Sudan crisis.
In 2013 during the South Sudan crisis, Nyabol flew to Sudan , where she has been a refugee, and in 2023, she is fleeing the Sudan crisis back to South Sudan. She has been affected by wars and is always on the move in fear of losing her life and that of her family members. Nyabol walked so many miles from Sudan to the South Sudan border, passing through Kharasana with her family to Rotriah, from Rotriah to Rubkona and lastly, they arrived this week in Leer.
UNfPA's Alona Bermajo, with a hat ,together with Implementing Partners and other GBV Sub Cluster led SRH discussions with women returnees from Sudan
Sudan’s war, like any other conflict, has threatened reproductive health and fueled GBV, and menstrual health management of women and girls putting additional misery on people and pressure on the challenged health infrastructure of Malakal, Bentiu, Renk, and Rotriak.
After the inter-agency rapid needs assessment, UNFPA informed the different bodies on the readiness of the health facilities in Rotriak to provide health services to survivors since they are equipped with Post Rape Kits, and staff were mentored on how to properly administer the medicines.
Nial a returnee from Sudan supported with Dignity Kit
“Thank you for coming to our rescue. Being a refugee is not easy after losing my properties, facing sexual assaults during transit, and having made a perilous journey from Sudan to South Sudan. I received medication, and counseling services, and we have been given these Dignity Kits with basic things that most women need urgently” Says 26-year-old Nyaling Nial.
Currently, South Sudan has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality globally and additional threats to health care systems will negatively impact women the most, as gender imbalances in the country’s existing climate change challenges and hunger crises.
As routine services, UNFPA, in coordination with the Gender Based Violence (GBV) Area of Responsibility (AoR), has reviewed and updated referral pathways to ensure that refugees and returnees have full access to coordinated services provided by partners.
However, with the continuous spillover of a protracted conflict, UNFPA in South Sudan is also concerned that the small gains in the provision of services and life-saving skills to women and girls, especially prevention against gender-based violence, will be retarded.
