South Sudan

In his 2025 annual report, the SG continued to list the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) for recruitment and use, killing and maiming, rape and other forms of sexual violence, and abduction as well as the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-Army in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) for recruitment and use, killing and maiming, and abduction. UNICEF reported that violence in Abiemnhom, Ruweng Administrative Area, killed three children and injured 13 others amid intensifying hostilities and an alarming increase in grave violations against children. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (SRSG), expressed concern over escalating conflict and deteriorating security conditions, warning that aerial bombardments, military operations in populated areas, and attacks on humanitarian and health facilities have sharply increased grave violations against children. In March, the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) mandate is up for renewal. The Security Council should:

• Renew UNMISS’ child protection mandate and ensure allocation of sufficient resources to strengthen capacities to deliver on this mandate, including for monitoring and engagement with parties to end and prevent grave violations;
• 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 release and hand over to child protection actors all children from their ranks, their reintegration should be prioritized in line with international juvenile justice standards, and detention should only be used as a last resort and for the shortest appropriate time;
• Urge the Government to end impunity for grave violations against childrenthrough 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;
• Call on all parties to allow and facilitate the safe, timely, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected populations, especially children;
• Demand that all parties immediately cease attacks or threats against schools, hospitals, and related protected persons, in line with SCR 2601 (2021).

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

This information is based on Watchlist’s Children and Armed Conflict Monthly Update – April 2026.

In July, the SG released his fifth report on the situation of children and armed conflict in South Sudan (S/2025/317) covering the period from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024. During this time, the UN verified 630 grave violations against 469 children, including 42 children who suffered multiple violations, and 41 additional violations that occurred in previous years. The most prevalent violations were recruitment and use (249), abduction (130), and killing and maiming (85). The UN also verified 47 cases of rape and other forms of sexual violence, 87 attacks on schools and hospitals, 24 cases of military use of schools and hospitals, and 32 incidents of denial of humanitarian access. The Government signed an extension of the 2020 Comprehensive Action Plan through October 2025. The SG welcomed the release of 125 children from armed groups and government forces, and some accountability measures, including court martial convictions for sexual violence. He also noted positive steps such as continued UN access to barracks for screening and age verification exercises, and the vacation of schools (8) and hospitals (2) previously occupied by armed actors, following persistent advocacy by the CTFMR. However, he expressed concern over the overall increase in grave violations, persistent recruitment and use, rising attacks on schools and hospitals as well as abductions, sexual violence against children, and widespread impunity. The Working Group should:

• Condemn all continuing violations and abuses committed against children in South Sudan, and demand that all parties uphold their obligations under IHL and IHRL;
• Call on the Government to ensure its full and consistent implementation of the Comprehensive Action Plan to End and Prevent all Grave Violations against Children;
• Urge all armed groups to immediately release all children under 18 from their ranks and end and prevent all child recruitment and use; reiterate that children associated with armed forces and groups should be treated primarily as victims and call on the Government to ensure children formerly associated with armed groups are handed over to civilian child protection actors;
• Call on all parties to take immediate and specific steps to end and prevent rape and other forms of sexual violence against children, including by ensuring perpetrators are held accountable and that survivors have access to comprehensive, gender-sensitive, and age-appropriate response and protection;
• Call on all parties to immediately cease attacks and threats of attack on educational and health facilities and personnel, as well as to refrain from the military use of schools.

This information is based on Watchlist’s Children and Armed Conflict Monthly Update – September 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