“Enhanced interactive dialogue with the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan”

Mr. Vice-President, 
Excellencies,

I am pleased to participate in today’s session on the human rights situation in South Sudan. I thank the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan for its important work and look forward to the presentation of its main findings.

Over the past year, the human rights situation in South Sudan remained dire, marked by increased civilian casualties, extrajudicial executions, sexual violence, arbitrary arrest and detention, and shrinking civic space.

This is occurring against a backdrop of political instability and uncertainty. The delayed implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, the two-year extension of the transitional period, and the postponement of elections to December 2026, raise some concerns about South Sudan’s commitment to these actions.

Military operations by government security forces, armed groups and their respective proxy militias resulted in gross human rights violations and abuses, and violations of international humanitarian law.

The UN Human Rights Office reports a 15 percent increase in violent incidents and a 10 percent increase in the number of victims in 2024, as compared to 2023. The Office documented and verified over 1,000 incidents of violence, including over 1,500 civilians killed, 1,300 injured, 551 abducted, and 246 subjected to sexual violence in conflict.

Civilians continue to be caught up in communal violence, fueled by disputes over land and long-standing ethnic tensions.

Extrajudicial executions carried out by government forces remain of grave concern. 74 cases were documented by our team on the ground in 2024 in Warrap and Lakes States. One of those executed was a child.

The Government continues to detain people arbitrarily and for prolonged periods. The Office reports that 595 civilians, including 59 women and 22 children were arbitrarily arrested and detained in 2024.

We welcome steps taken to improve the delivery of justice through training of law enforcement and judicial personnel, and the establishment of mobile courts. But much more is needed, and we urge the authorities to step up their efforts, including by implementing the recommendations contained in last December’s OHCHR-UNMISS joint report on deprivation of liberty.

Excellencies,

In 2024, the UN Human Rights Office documented the cases of 246 survivors of sexual violence, including 140 women, 101 girls and five men. Sexual violence is grossly underreported, due to fear of reprisal, stigma, and lack of confidence in the justice system. I am alarmed by the trend of large-scale abductions of women and children in the context of inter-communal violence, with abductees being raped or subjected to other forms of sexual violence, as well as abductions by the National Salvation Front aimed at forced recruitment.

The Government has imposed further restrictions on civic space, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, most notably ahead of the elections. We regret the missed opportunity to align the National Security Service law with international human rights standards. Instead, it continues to grant the security service extensive powers, including the authority to arrest individuals without a warrant.

These violations are exacerbating one of the most catastrophic humanitarian crises on the African continent. More than 7.5 million people in South Sudan are food insecure. Climate induced risks and displacements, and the arrival of over one million people fleeing the conflict in Sudan since April 2023, are putting a strain on resources, and risk further weakening social cohesion. In 2024, nine humanitarian workers were killed, which I condemn in the strongest terms.

Excellencies,

We welcome positive signals that the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing and the Compensation and Reparation Authority are likely to be established soon, and we urge that it be a transparent process.

However, we regret that there has been no progress in setting up the Hybrid Court for South Sudan to prosecute those responsible for violations of national and international law, including genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

The Hybrid Court has the joint support of the African Union and the United Nations, and we call on the Government to galvanize the political will to make this Court a reality.

Mr. Vice-President,

The country finds itself at a critical juncture, where it has the opportunity to set itself on a [new] path of peace and justice.

Accountability, inclusive dialogue, and an open civic and political space are the building blocks of lasting peace. The Government’s sustained commitment to those goals, with the support of the international community, is crucial.

My Office is committed to supporting the Government, to ensure dignity and justice for the people of South Sudan.