South Sudan Reports
 | Youth Participation in the Peace Process in South SudanThis policy brief has been produced as part of the ‘Strengthening Young Women’s Participation in Local and National Peace Processes in South Sudan’ 21-month long project which was funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF). Between December 2019 and June 2021, Search for Common Ground (Search) worked in partnership with an array of organizations in South Sudan, including AnaTaban, Crown the Woman, National Women’s Empowerment & Rehabilitation Organization, Catholic Radio Network, and Eye Radio, Radio, to enhance the engagement of young men and in particular, young women in South Sudan’s peace processes. The project aimed to strengthen the ability of young women leaders and groups to work together to lead local and national-level peace efforts, to transform attitudes and behaviours towards women and youth and their role in South Sudan’s peace processes and to contribute guidance, best practices and lessons learned to the global field of youth engagement in peace and security. The policy brief makes policy recommendations on how young people in South Sudan can become better engaged In the Room, Around the Room and Outside the Room. In order to further enhance the engagement of young people in South Sudan’s peace processes, these recommendations should be adopted by International Non-Governmental Organizations such as Search for Common Ground, the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity, political parties, and Civil Society Organizations. |
| Women Participation in the Peace Process in South SudanThis policy brief has been produced as part of the ‘Strengthening Young Women’s Participation in Local and National Peace Processes in South Sudan’ project which was a 21-month long project funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF). Between December 2019 and June 2021, Search for Common Ground (Search) worked in partnership with an array of organizations in South Sudan, including AnaTaban, Crown the Woman, National Women’s Empowerment & Rehabilitation Organization, Catholic Radio Network, and Eye Radio, to enhance the engagement of young women in South Sudan’s peace processes. The project aimed to strengthen the ability of young women leaders and groups to work together to lead local and national-level peace efforts, to transform attitudes and behaviours towards women and youth and their role in South Sudan’s peace processes and to contribute guidance, best practices and lessons learned to the global field of youth engagement in peace and security. The policy brief makes policy recommendations to 3 groups which are: 1) women’s organizations and partners of Search for Common Ground, 2) the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGONU) and political parties, 3) Non-Governmental Organizations and regional and national partners. Additionally, it concludes with presenting avenues for building synergies and linkages to provide increased opportunities for confidence building and empowerment of young women. |
| Case Study – Inclusion & Participation of Youth in Peacebuilding: Exploring the Experiences of Youth in South Sudan – April 2021This Case Study was commissioned by Search for Common Ground (SFCG) in the framework of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF) 21-month funded project “Strengthening Young Women’s Participation in Local and National Peace Processes in South Sudan” to examine the progress made in youth inclusion and participation in the South Sudan peace process and identify opportunities for youth engagement in peacebuilding efforts. South Sudan is emerging out of a brutal conflict that killed thousands and displaced millions of its citizens since the civil war broke out in 2013 barely two years after its independence. Despite their numerical strength, the young people in South Sudan from the age of 15-35-year-old found themselves stuck in unimaginable generation-threatening challenges. The youth continue to face forced conscription into military activities, lack of participation in political, civic decision-making, high unemployment, lack of business opportunities, lack of adequate skills and access to education, inadequate access for health-related information and services, including sexual and reproductive health. The study assessed the in-depth understanding of the socially and politically constructed attitudes, behaviors and policies among different stakeholders that promote or undermine the genuine inclusion and participation of youth in the peace process. The research paper adopted the “We are Here” model (“in the room”, “around the room” and “outside the room”) to analyze and identify youth engagement in the negotiation and implementation of the peace agreement and peacebuilding efforts. |
| Women, Peace, and Security: South Sudan Snapshot – August 2020This snapshot provides an overview of Search for Common Ground’s (Search) research in South Sudan on Women, Peace, and Security over the past five years. Search for Common Ground began working in South Sudan in June 2014, using research to inform its conflict transformation programming. Search’s overall objective in South Sudan to promote social cohesion, resilience, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts among individuals and communities. We work across all levels of society to support diverse and constructive dialogue, positive peace-focused media, and access to justice mechanisms. We partner with and engage local actors including civil society organizations, women’s groups, youth, media professionals, and others through conflict transformation and conflict-sensitive journalism training, participatory theater, radio programming, ongoing conflict analysis, community-led dialogues, and local peace initiatives. Search then connects local-level initiatives and expertise with national and international policymakers and experts to ensure that local voices and local solutions are at the forefront of decision-making. Search’s previous research shows that localized violence in South Sudan has been intricately linked to drivers related to the role of women within the family and community. Criminal activity, like cattle raiding, is often connected to acquiring necessary funds to meet the cultural practice of bride prices and dowries. In other cases, familial disputes over marriage turn violent or divide communities. Domestic violence against women is the most recent experience with violence that 43% of people in Awerial, Lakes State have experienced. These conflicts represent the most common exposure to violence for most South Sudanese; however, when these local communal conflicts intersect with national trends of ethnic and political division they tend to cycle and expand beyond the original conflict. |
| Pastoralism and Conflict in the Sudano-Sahel: A Review of the LiteratureThis literature review was developed as part of the project “Partnership for Stability and Security in the Sudano-Sahel” supported by U.S. State Department, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations between October 2019 and March 2021. The goal of this project is to inform stabilization and development efforts in communities across the Sudano-Sahel affected by cross-border farmer-herder conflict by identifying proven, data-informed methods of conflict transformation. This review covers the following key trends and debates from existing literature:
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| Search for Common Ground South Sudan: 2017–2021 Country Strategy |
 | Nimule Conflict and Leadership Mapping Report – Together We Can: Supporting Local Peace Efforts in Nimule – November 2016“Together We Can Supporting Local Peace Efforts in Nimule” was implemented by Search for Common Ground (SFCG) in South Sudan with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This 6-month project was an extension of a pilot project implemented in Magwi county in 2015 which aimed to to promote peaceful coexistence between divided communities of the Acholi, and Ma’di. As part of the extension, the project focused on strengthening its peace building activities in Magwi, and Pageri administrative areas; consolidating results achieved in the first phase. The second phase of the project included Nimule as an additional project site. As part of this project, SFCG conducted qualitative conflict and leadership mapping research in Nimule to identify the key stakeholders, leadership structures, and the social environment of the communities. This research aimed to identify the conflict drivers, unifiers, and existing opportunities for non-violent modes of conflict resolution among the returnees, host community, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and the general population in Nimule. Key conflicts identified were those related to land, animal and wildlife management, and natural resources, among others. Cultural festivals, financial institutions and religious gatherings were among the unifiers identified during the research. Media mapping revealed diverse media channels with some communities struggling with access due to language barriers (especially the Dinka). The mapping revealed strong working relationships between most of the government departments, but not all (for example, between the Chiefs and police). |