South Sudan

The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) are listed in the annex of the SG’s latest annual report on CAAC for recruitment and use, killing and maiming, rape and other forms of sexual violence, and abduction. The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition – pro-Machar (SPLM/AIO – pro-Machar) is also listed for recruitment and use, killing and maiming, and abduction. The Secretary-General’s 90-day report on South Sudan (S/2024/776) covering 16 July to 15 October 2024, verified 26 grave violations against 19 children, including abductions, killings, maiming, recruitment, and rape and other forms of sexual violence. The report also documented two verified attacks on schools and four on hospitals, with the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces using one school and one hospital for military purposes. Various groups, including the National Salvation Army (NAS), the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces, and the SPLM/A-IO, carried out these violations across regions such as Central and Western Equatoria, Unity, and Upper Nile. In March 2025, Special Representative of the SG for CAAC (SRSG-CAAC), called on all parties in South Sudan to protect children and adhere to the Revitalized Peace Agreement and signed action plans amid recent escalations of violence. In April, UNMISS’ mandate is up for renewal, per SCR 2729 (2024). The Security Council Should: 

• Renew UNMISS’s child protection mandate, maintaining its child protection capacity, and, in subsequent budget negotiations, ensure distinct budget lines for child protection; 
• Urge the Government and parties that have endorsed the 2020 Comprehensive Action Plan to fully and swiftly implement their commitments, and urge all parties to immediately cease all grave violations against children, to facilitate humanitarian assistance and protect humanitarian personnel, and to release and hand over to child protection actors all children from their ranks; 
• Call on all parties to take immediate and specific steps to end and prevent rape and other forms of sexual violence against children, ensure survivors have access to comprehensive, gender-sensitive, and age-appropriate response systems and services, and strengthen preventive measures; 
• Urge the Government to end impunity for grave violations against children through timely and impartial investigation and, where appropriate, prosecution; urge allocation of appropriate resources to ensure survivors of grave violations have access to justice, including for rape and other forms of sexual violence; and designate a focal point on CAAC in the Ministry of Justice. 

THE UNITED STATES IS THE DESIGNATED SECURITY COUNCIL PENHOLDER ON SOUTH SUDAN.

This information is based on Watchlist’s Children and Armed Conflict Monthly Update – April 2025.

Year listed: 2007
Action Plans signed: SPLA – recruitment and use of children (November 2009; renewed in March 2012 as the national armed forces of South Sudan; recommitted in June 2014); SPLA/M-in Opposition – recruitment and use of children and killing and maiming (December 2015); Comprehensive action plan covering all grave violations replaces previous action plans for SPLA and SPLA-IO as of February 2020.
Sanctions Committee: South Sudan Sanctions Committee (Current Chair: Viet Nam)
Secretary-General’s reports on CAAC in South Sudan: 2020; 2018; 2014; 2011; 2009; 2007; 2006
Security Council Working Group conclusions on South Sudan: 2021; 2018; 2015; 2012; 2009; 2008; 2006
UN Mission: UNMISS