SITUATION IN SOUTH SUDAN
The people of South Sudan are facing their highest levels of food insecurity since independence 10 years ago. The impact of lean season from May to July 2021 is expected to be the worst on record. The crisis, however, is about much more than just food and nutrition. Conflict, displacement, flooding, loss of livelihoods, COVID-19, and an inability to reach health care and schools have created urgent humanitarian and protection needs, especially for women and children. Attacks against communities, humanitarian workers and assets are on the rise and without security and stability across the country, humanitarian needs will continue to grow.
RESPONSE ACHIEVEMENTS IN PRIORITY AREAS
Food Security and Livelihoods: As South Sudan witnesses the highest levels of food insecurity, the Food Security Cluster scaled up its response in 2021, reaching more than half a million severely food insecure people with lifesaving food assistance in ten counties. Additionally, more than 100,000 families received livelihoods kits for fishing and crop production, while 2.2 million livestock were treated and vaccinated.
Health: Despite growing health needs and funding constraints, Health Cluster partners and the Ministry of Health continue to provide basic life-saving healthcare services in the priority areas. The number of consultations increased from 56,000 in April to 65,000 in May 2021. Referrals from communities for antenatal care and deliveries by skilled birth attendants increased from 95 in March to 158 in April 2021.
Nutrition: Nutrition Cluster partners reached vulnerable children and pregnant and lactating women through treatment and preventive programs in the priority areas. Scale-up efforts sought to engage hard-to-reach communities through outreach programs and preposition supplies. In the priority counties, partners provided nutrition support to more than 16,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), 40,000 children affected by moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and 35,000 pregnant and lactating women.
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: WASH Cluster partners reached 4,000 households (SAM/MAM registered) with basic WASH kits including jerry cans, water purifiers, soaps, buckets, and Menstrual Hygiene Management kits in the priority counties. Some 28 water points have been rehabilitated. Community partners reached 100,000 people with WASH kits/basic hygiene messages.
Protection: The Protection Cluster continues to respond in affected counties through static and mobile teams. Protection partners have reached some 156,000 girls, boys, men and women with protection activities. More than 70,000 people were reached with gender-based violence services, including women and girls friendly space activities. Child Protection partners provided services to nearly 30,000 girls and boys through community-based psychosocial support to children and caregivers, services at child-friendly spaces, as well as case management, family tracing and reunification services for unaccompanied and separated children.
Logistics, Coordination and Common Services: In 2021, the Logistics Cluster transported by air and road more than 640 metric tons of humanitarian cargo to 14 severely food insecure and remote locations. Supporting the humanitarian community, the Logistics Cluster set up 880 m2 of common storage space in Pibor by rehabilitating three Mobile Storage Units (MSUs) and adding another, while in Akobo, 720 m2 of common storage space was erected to provide three MSUs. MSUs were also set up in Warrap Town, Tonj North and Tonj South. The Pibor Humanitarian Hub, with funding by the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund, was opened in June and will enable the expansion of operations across hard-to-reach areas of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area.
